


I am Suppressed

by FantasyNinja26



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Follows Plot, Slow Burn, Some Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-17
Updated: 2017-10-13
Packaged: 2018-09-18 05:49:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 50,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9370871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FantasyNinja26/pseuds/FantasyNinja26
Summary: Elric Brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric have been on the hunt for of the mythical Philosopher's Stone with the aid of their partner, Yuki Mustang or better known as the Resonant Alchemist. For what purpose? To regain what they have lost in their attempt to bring their mother from the grave. They are soon teamed up with State Alchemist, Penelope Dewitt, the Powered Alchemist in order to assist them as well. Tragedy will take hold, exposing dark secrets about the very military they serve, but more importantly themselves. All they have are each other, but how far are these alchemists willing to go to protect each other from danger and assure that their goals with be fulfilled? Follows Brotherhood, counterstory of I am Weakness/I am Able, Edward Elric and Alphonse Elric. Slow Burn.





	1. The Alchemists

Central, the holder of bustling businesses, busy streets no matter the time of day, a protective government with all the power they could wish for, everything that seems to make a place the most qualified for a living. In the center of Central was a large fortress like building that held the strongest of men and women, members of the military. Soldiers, Colonels, Majors, State Alchemists, and the big man himself, the Führer.

However with the great number of people who protect the citizens, there are always those who will put the people in danger. Those people are silenced.

“The Freezing Alchemist, really?” A man spoke, wearing a blue military uniform, a tall handsome man that a woman could be considered foolish if they didn’t fall for him ‘charm’. Colonel Roy Mustang, or also known as The Flame Alchemist. He has other adorning titles, but those won’t be covered quite yet. “He’s here?”

Standing in front of him was an older man with a black eyepatch covering his left eye while his right eye holding the color of blue could be seen by all. The very leader of this country, Füher King Bradley. “We have information that he was able to slip into Central a couple of days ago. That’s why I’ve summoned you here, Colonel. I need your men to smoke him out and bring him in.” Roy became stiff, making his shoulders appear all the more broad and swore that such an act would be done. The Führer chuckled to himself before speaking once more. “I’m glad you’re in Central for a while Mustang. It’s good to know that I have people here, I can count on.”

“Sir.”

Bradley looked over to Roy and made the grin on his face bolder. “One last thing. Our rising young stars are here as well. I’m placing them in your disposal.”

“Forgive me, Führer Bradley, but just to be clear are you referring to-?”

“Yes I am.” Bradley interrupted turning his eye to Roy. “The Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric; along with The Resonant Alchemist, Yuki Mustang.”

-

The moon shone above the city, the lights of every building and every street lamp glistening into the dark night air. On the one of the many rooftops held three figures, a large colossus like suit of armor stood beside two human figures. Metal making up the shape, long white hair coming from the top of the helmet, and a white loin-cloth wrapped around the armor’s waist.

On the other end of the three, a feminine silhouette, with a shining emanating from her automail arm and small charm bracelet on her wrist that actually held flesh. Her hair as dark as that of coal, her lavender eyes glowing in the moonlight, and her skin seeming to being to be a source of light in this light.

Beside her on her right was the form of a boy, short in stature, but for what he lacked in height he made up for in energy and determination. Between the three, his name was the most well known, the one everyone mentions at least once. Cutting the silence between them, the shortest of the three let out a grunt. “Ah, dammit! The Colonel is never going to let us out of here, is he?”

Not even moving an inch from his spot, the armor spoke. “We already bought our tickets for Liore too, does this mean we’re not going?”

The first figure to speak stood once more along with the feminine figure beside him. She shrugged and fiddled with the charms on the bracelet while glancing over to the boy with a flick of her eyes. “Not exactly, we could still go.”

“For now, let’s just get this over with, okay?” The shortest boy suggested.

A clank accompanied the motion of the armor nodding in response to the two’s words. Then looking into the labyrinth of alleyways, he let out a hum. “Lead the way, brother.”

-

The Alchemists, holders of creation, destruction, and reconstruction with the awesome powers of science. Yet, these abilities could very well be used for unjust deeds. Much like Isaac McDougal, The Freezing Alchemist and former military member. He was caught lurking in the darkness of the city and was hunted like a wounded Elk. Whistles blew in the air, echoing down through the darkness. Isaac’s foot slammed into a puddle, splashing water around him but was unaffected by the small detail along with other things demanding to be taken note of. “There he goes! That way!” A soldier yelled now pointing his gun at Isaac all while being joined by another man. “You halt, halt before I shoot!”

Isaac lifted his armored wrist and activated the transmutation circle carved into the metal. Blue sparks shone in the shadowy atmosphere only to fade away in a second. Replaced with shards of ice jetting out from the puddles below and shoving the soldier and his companion. When they fell, he ran. Two other men showed up lifting up their guns and firing away, but to no such avial. For Isaac grabbed one of the men’s wrists and pulled it higher. Once more, the blue light appeared and that was the last thing his victim saw, until he was frozen solid from the inside and out. Isaac carelessly dropped the man on the ground and slammed his palm into the face of his horrified bystander. The blue light appeared once again and the man fell victim to his body being steamed. “Water freezes, water boils, either way you’re just as dead.” Isaac stated in an emotionless mutter. Flying in his direction was a spear, that only landed in the ground as Isaac staggered backwards. “That’s alchemy…”

“What a nasty thing to do.” The boy from before spoke stepping into sight with the girl trailing close behind.

His eyes narrowed on the two and held a grin that could only be held on a lunatic's face. “You two of all people should know that great deeds require great sacrifice! Isn’t that the law of Equivalent Exchange?”

A glare rose on the girl’s features as her fingers rubbed against each other, ready to snap in an instant. She shook her head firmly, “You shouldn’t waste your breath. The laws of alchemy will never justify murder!”

The boy clapped his hands together, placing his right hand on the spear with ease. Alchemical sparks in the color blue danced around the weapon and aided in the transformation of the new weapon. In the form of spiked bat with a goofy face at the end of it. “No transmutation circle….” Isaac sputtered.

“Don’t be too impressed.” Ed muttered now running forward and calling out to his armored brother.

From behind the armored boy came and swung a fist towards the criminal only to hit nothing but air. Isaac ducked under the attack with ease and looked to the other side of him to see the other two opponents striking at him. With his armored wrist he blocked the bat’s landing attack and the girl’s fists. He threw them off of him and slid back onto his feet and grabbed onto the boy’s arm and shining the blue light. Yet, no damage. He was only flung backwards with red fabric from his coat flying. “What?” Isaac gasped but grabbed the armored hands and flung the suit over his head. “No, I had you! Any water in there should have boiled!”

His shortest opponent frowns and rose his eyes. “Well, if it’s any consolation you did ruin my coat.”

Underneath the shredded fabric his automail showed, glistening in the dim light of the moon and of the city. Isaac stared at this display with widened eyes as his jacket was completely discarded in a dramatic order. “An automail arm! A young gifted alchemist, one that doesn’t use Transmutation Circles, and has an automail right arm! I know you… You’re the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric! So that must mean you’re the Resonate Alchemist, Yuki Mustang!” Then looking over to the armored boy he pointed at him. “So… It’s not you?”

“Oh-um-no…” He mumbled. “I’m his younger brother Alphonse.”

“But he’s a runt!”

Yuki sighed and shook her head, “Don’t do that…”

Ed’s face flushed in anger and his body became tense with rage. His shoulders were raised to his ears, acting almost like earrings when he was truly furious at the comments about his height. A low growl came from Ed right before he unleashed his rage. “Oh yeah can a runt do this?!” He exclaimed now clapping his hands and setting them on the ground.

Without a transmutation circle, his alchemy went to work by making the walls and the floor trap Isaac in his spot by trapping his face in a gap that pressed his cheeks together. Isaac twitched in pain at the hold he was put under, gritting his teeth together so hard that it only made the pain even worse. “I’ve heard the stories but still I never imagined this!” Isaac explained with his voice being greatly affected by his current position. “The Fullmetal Alchemist and the Resonate Alchemist are just little kids!”

Yet again Ed’s face returned to it’s cherry red state as his hands clapped together once more. He slammed his hand onto the wall transmuting the blue sparks from his metallic hand. “Don’t call me little!!” Ed screamed as a fist flew out from the wall by his alchemy.

The fist slammed into Isaac and the wall he was trapped in sending him flying back into the darkness. While Ed kept his eyes in a glare at the man his brother and Yuki stared at the mess that was made by the outburst. Yuki cleared her throat and glanced over to Ed. “Umm… Ed, I don’t think he was talking about your height that time…” She murmured.

Her comment made Ed’s eyes widen for a moment, before turning fiery once more. Of course it would take more than clarification to calm down the Fullmetal Alchemist. “Well even if he wasn’t he still pissed me off!” Ed shouted.

-

Military officers appeared on the scene and managed to get Isaac handcuffed so he couldn’t fight back. One of the men walked to Al and Yuki while holding up a beaming smile on his face. With an overjoyed expression he thanked them for their work on catching the Freezing Alchemist, and in his ignorance he mistook Al for the Fullmetal Alchemist. Al spoke indistinctly, trying to correct the soldier’s mistake before his brother could overhear the error.

In the ruins of the alchemical warfare Ed clapped his hands together setting them on his torn red jacket. Alchemy did it’s job, in the form of blue sparks repairing the damage. He knelt down pulling the jacket up with him and sliding it back onto his shoulders. “Alright Al, Yuki! Let’s go, we have a train to catch!”

Yuki looked over and nodded with a small smile. “Yeah.”

All the while Isaac was being escorted away from the scene by two soldiers in front of him and then two soldiers behind him. Looking ahead he saw an upcoming puddle and discarded his left glove. Then allowing himself to fall to the side and his hand to land into the puddle. Behind her, Yuki could hear his palm slap onto the liquid on the ground and shot her head over her shoulder. Right when turning back a cloud of steam erupted through the narrow alleyway. Ed coughed and waved the gas from his face. “What was that? Steam?” He coughed.

“Ed… He’s gone.” Yuki informed now recovering from the blast herself. The only thing that remained from Isaac was the broken handcuffs.

“Dammit, now he really pissed me off!”

-

Roy Mustang, commanding officer to Edward Elric and the father of Yuki Mustang. By his side currently were two loyal soldiers. Riza Hawkeye and Joslyn Elric, the oldest sister to the Elric brothers respectively. With a grin Roy leaned over his desk and rested his elbows on the desk. “Looks like you underestimated your opponent, Fullmetal.” He teased.

Ed’s eyes snapped to his commanding officer in a glare. “Who is this guy anyway?”

Joslyn shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest with a frown on her lips. The sisterly instincts kicking in at full force. “Well, you would know that if you listened to the briefing like Colonel Mustang and I have told you time and time again.” She retorted. Yuki nodded while Ed frowned and avoided his sister’s gaze. “But no, you just charge right in-”

“Yeah yeah I get it, alright?” Ed groaned. “Sorry, okay, whatever!”

His sister rolled her eyes and glanced over to Roy with a swing of her eyes. The grin on his face only grew to be more prominent with a scoff at the momentary argument he held with his sister. “Next time a superior officer and your oldest sibling tells you to listen you just might do it.” In response Ed let out an annoyed acceptance. Being a teenager, he naturally gave attitude, serving as a second language. Roy stood from his desk and walked to the window. “Now then, his name is Isaac McDougal, or as he was known back in the day, Isaac the Freezer. He’s a former State Alchemist, he served in the Ishvalan War. During that time he showed no signs of turning traitor. But afterwards, he immediately resigned and went into hiding and he’s been working with the anti-establishment group ever since. Taking him into custody is major priority, whether dead or alive; that’s up to him.”

Yuki looked over to Ed who held a firm look of disapproval. “No way, I’m not killing anyone.” He whispered.

His sister relaxed and tore her eyes aside. As much as she admired her brother’s choice to be a dog of the military without killing a soul, was ballsy but she didn’t know if he could do it. There was an overwhelming part of her that knew one of these days he may not have a choice, and the same goes for her along with Yuki. Part of her hopes they see this. “That’s your choice Ed, all we ask is if you can help contain him.” Joslyn clarified and looked out into the bright city standing out in the darkness. Then her eyes widen and she looked over to Roy. “Colonel, don’t forget about-”

“Oh, I almost forgot.” Roy responded and looked over his shoulder. “Yuki, I got a call from Basque Grand earlier today, Penelope’s coming down, she’s been on the hunt for Isaac for a week now and she had a hunch that he came here.”

The girl’s eyes widen and she quickly turned to her dad. While Yuki held the happiest of smiles on her face, with Joslyn and Riza tugging the ends of their lips upwards, Ed and Al glanced at each other. Ed lifted his hand as if try and get someone’s attention he let out a small mumble. “Um, whose Penelope?” He asked aloud.

Quickly Yuki started to speak with her words jumbling together in a mess at an shaky pace that ranged from fast and faster. While she vented her excitement Joslyn shook her head. Riza lifted her eyes upwards. “Penelope Dewitt is State Alchemist around your age, the Powered Alchemist working under Basque Grand.”

Yuki was unable to contain herself, jumping in her seat with a wide grin going from one ear to the other. “She’s so cool, you guys will love her!”

Roy smirked and looked back to the window. His expression was no doubt devious, getting back into the teasing mood for the Fullmetal Alchemist after informing his daughter of the wonderful news he had for her. “Off topic, have you guys turned up any leads for getting your bodies back to normal?” He asked.

Ed’s eyes shot over to Roy only barely catching his question. When figuring out what he said the expression of the teen became sour. Turning back to Roy he let out a growl. “Maybe if you ever gave us time to look!”

Right as that yell was released into the office air the door was practically thrown open by a man with black spiked hair and green eyes which were enhanced with glasses. He held the master of grins that always seemed genuine and raised his hand high as he yelled out a bright greeting. “Roy! How goes? Heard they put you in charge of catching the Freezer, huh? One hell of a nasty assignment! But hey it could be your chance to earn that promotion to Central!” While the man named Hughes babbled on Roy shook his head and frown. “Oh say, looks like my timing is perfect! You two are the Elric Brothers, right?” Then running over while shooting a wave to Yuki sitting close by he grabbed Al’s hand and started to shake it. “Wow! It’s an honor to finally meet the youngest State Alchemist ever! You’re a real legend around here! I’m Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes, it’s a pleasure!”

“You want Edward…” Yuki snickered with a small wave.

“I’m actually his younger brother Alphonse…”

Hughes jumped back upon hearing the correction he jumped back and released Al’s metallic hands. Looking over to Ed he already held an irritated look which grew all the more irritated as Hughes was about to state that he didn’t think the famous State Alchemist would be so small, almost uttering the cursed ‘s’ word. “Hughes, what are you doing here? Go home. Also did you pick up Powered from the station?” Roy questioned finally turning to see his friend.

After the question flew out of Roy’s mouth in the doorway a girl stepped in. A brunette that has grown up since the last time Roy, Hughes, or Yuki have seen her. Hair that used to short enough to only cover her jaw line now reached to her shoulder blades, her height was only slightly altered but not enough to make her taller than anyone present in the room, the time where she would refuse to wear skirts had long passed as she began to wear skirts that showed off a harness on her right leg holding a whip, a brown vest along with a brown sleeved shirt that went to her elbows and a black necklace with three swallows. She held an evolution that people didn’t expect or one that people saw coming. It almost took Yuki a moment to realize that she was seeing her friend, dearest Penelope Dewitt after several years of no words and little contact. Only stories and tales of their adventures were exchanged. Yuki quickly shot out of her seat and jolted to the girl at high speed before tackling her into a large hug. “Penelope! I’ve missed you so much you have no idea! Things have been so crazy and… Penelope…?”

The girl’s was twisted with confusion, her eyebrows knotting together. “I feel like I know you… But I can’t put a face with a name as well I used to…” She sighed awkwardly, her voice different from what it was before. A once high pitched voice gained a smidge of volume but not so much that was a voice of a pure alto.

“Pene… It’s me. Yuki Mustang…”

Penelope’s eyes widen at the sudden memory of the young girl. How they met during the darkest of times. While Penelope was digging herself out the pit of despair, alone, clawing at herself, at the beginning of the end. All she could ask herself was how could she allow herself to forget everything. “Oh… Hi Yuki… Sorry about that.” She apologized softly before looking up to Roy. “Hello Colonel Mustang, sorry but Hughes is here on official military business, or at least that’s what he says.”

Hughes chuckled at her last statement and then looked over to the two boys. “You, Elrics, Mustang, and Dewitt I understand you guys don’t have a place to stay. Which means you’ll have to come with me.” In an instant his eyes closed as his head lowered with the light creating a glare in his glasses. He reached for his pocket and quickly yanked out a piece of paper, forcing a cry to come from the eldest Elric Brother. But to their surprise a picture of a woman holding onto a child, his child. Behind the picture Hughes held a large grin that could easily continue to grow off his face if it could do so. “My wife Gracia and my daughter Elysia, we’d love to have you!”

Al then stood from his place on the couch along with his older brother whose eyes narrowed on the sight of the other State Alchemist. One he doesn’t hear much about, but seems like the type to get an unbelievable amount of hype from the people. Then again she might possibly be well known in other places unlike Ed, Al, and Yuki who are mostly well known in the East. “So you’re Penelope Dewitt.” Ed muttered crossing his arms over her chest.

“And you are?”

“Edward Elric, I’m the Fullmetal Alchemist. This is my younger brother Alphonse.”

Penelope glanced over to the boy in the suit of armor before glancing back to Edward with a raised eyebrow. In the corner of her eye she could see Yuki watching the two of them interact with an observant eye. She smirked and nodded at the boy now holding her hand out to shake hands with him in which he returned. “I go by either Pen or Pene.”

-

Arriving at the Hughes’ household a small girl with light brown hair and green eyes pranced out the door with her smiling mother watching close by. Hughes swept the girl into a hug greeting her with a smile and the rubbing of his beard against her bare cheek. Elysia giggled happily and exclaimed that his beard was itchy which only encouraged his actions of rubbing his scratchy face one her smooth one. Looking over to his guests and their weird looks he stopped and stood next to his child. “Look, we have guests! These are the Elric Brothers, and you remember Yuki and Penelope right?” He introduced and motioned to each person he spoke about.

Elysia nodded and then pressed her lips together in thought. Her eyes remained on the rather odd looking siblings before pointing at Al. “Big Brother!” She yelled before pointing at Ed. “Little Brother!”

The very comment made Ed’s face twist in anger while Penelope cupped her hand over her mouth in order to stifle the laughter. Clenching his fists he lowered his head knowing full well he couldn’t exactly yell at a child. Especially in front of her parents. “Nice to meet you… My name is Edward Elric, this is my younger brother Alphonse Elric. Got that? Younger. Brother.” He muttered clearly trying hard to hold back any urges or any dumb actions. All the while Al and Yuki were tense and ready to hold him back just incase he couldn’t hold back his anger any longer.

“But younger means little, you’re little.”

That was the final straw for the eldest brother for he started to stomp forwards, instead being picked up by Al. He kicked and screamed while the girl obliviously walked back inside her home with her mother and father. Al and Yuki tried their hardest to appease the Elric while Penelope continued to hold back her fit of chuckles and snickers. “Edward… They’re nice enough to let us stay here please don’t mess that up…” Yuki pleaded not wanting to take drastic measures in order to silence him, which would include using her alchemy on him.

“Hope you guys're hungry! Gracia’s cooking is delicious!”

That would be undeniable, Gracia’s food fluttered on the table. A yummy cheese quiche with green herbs on top of it was the first thing the eldest brother laid his eyes on. Everyone took their place at the table, eyeing at the food with intent. “Okay, eat up!” Hughes chirped now setting up his plate.

Penelope chuckled a little and cracked her knuckles with ease before making her plate. “With pleasure.”

No one had to tell any of the teens twice to start eating. Yuki started to eat the quiche and a nearby salad with a dainty smile, Penelope eating at a moderate pace, and then there was Ed eating through his as if he hadn’t eaten for days. “Wow! You weren’t kidding, this is great!” He cheered with his mouth stuffed with food to the brim. The actions made Gracia egg him on more to eat as much food as he could and there was no sign of hesitation that he would stop.

Hughes’ eyes enlarged slightly upon seeing Al remain unmoving and not even attempting to take any food, it was a sight Penelope caught as well but wasn’t sure about questioning it aloud. She may have kept her mouth shut but Hughes wasn’t going to keep quiet about it. He wasn’t that kind of man. With a small reassuring smile he leaned over his plate. “Alphonse, how you going to eat with that armor, take it off, relax!” He offered up with a voice as bright as the very sun.

Al shifted in his spot, Yuki stopped for a moment but only to turn away, and Ed was knocked off his crazed hurry for food. “W-Well… You see…” The youngest brother mumbled while rubbing the back of his helmet his tone uneasy. As Yuki and Ed glanced at each other Penelope started to feel suspicion claw up her spine as they struggled to find an answer, almost instantly catching an interest on the boys.

“He’s not allowed to!” Ed intervened. “He has to wear it all the time, it’s part of his alchemy training! Ya know how it is! I’ll eat enough for the both of us!”

Penelope leaned back on her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. “Uh-huh…” She let out with a questioning hint in her voice.

“Training, chu-chu!” Elysia squealed.

-

Surely it was late now, everyone was assumed to be asleep by now. Everyone except for the two young ladies of the house. Penelope laid on one bed as Yuki laid to the one beside hers all while staring at the ceiling. They didn’t bother going to bed, instead they would talk about all the sorts of topics. A silence shadowed over the two along with the thought of their slumber. Penelope rose her head and looked over to her friend. “Hey Yuki…?” She mumbled quietly. “You still awake?

Yuki opened one of her eyes and glanced over to Penelope. A small smile graced her lips which remained even when she tore her now fully opened eyes back up to the ceiling. “Yeah… You’re just as restless as ever.” The raven haired girl giggled in response.

“So it seems… What happened?” She started. “Roy never told me you lost an arm.”

“I was wondering how long you’d wait till asking.” Yuki replied with a small sigh and resting her hand on her metallic shoulder. The story held many layers of details in which Yuki didn’t know where to start. Everything seemed interconnected somehow, it almost didn’t surprise Yuki that her own father never brought the topic of his daughter’s arm loss. He wouldn’t even know where to start, if the one without an arm didn’t either. “Well… My arm got infected after a fight and you can guess what happened afterwards.” Yuki summarized looking at the wall. The smell of another question about the topic reeked from Penelope’s breath. No doubt she was thinking about her next inquiry for the very friend she needed to catch up with once more. “I don’t want to really talk about me too much… What about you? Your life must be interesting.”

Penelope laughed sheepishly and brought her eyes to the wall. “Ya know there’s not much to talk about as far as I go… Just conversations about how much I hate Basque Grand, almost every relationship I’ve been in is a turd and it’s all because of….” Suddenly stopping herself, cutting off her own sentence she consumed the behavior her youngest friend had seconds before her. Only they both knew why she suddenly got so quiet. So shy. “I assume you know why my relationships fall apart… Say, we should really interact more this year, meet up whenever we can. I mean it seems appropriate considering…”

Yuki turned her head to Penelope, along her, their eyes locking together through the cloths of the pillows and the sheets of their respected beds. A small smile played Yuki’s lips as she shook her head. “It sounds nice… But I prefer interacting for as long as we have left. Let’s not put the time we could spend hanging around each other on a time limit, everything you do doesn’t have to have a time limit.”

“Hmm, I suppose you’re right. I’ve missed you.”

“Ditto.”

-

“We have confirmed that McDougal broke into Central Prison last night, whatever he’s up to, he’s growing bold. That means our time is short, close off all roads, search every square inch of the city: when you find him shoot on sight. That is an order from the Führer himself, but if I find him first;” Mustang started while pulling on his gloves. “he’s mine.”

-

The city of Central in controlled chaos, people who weren’t involved with Isaac minded their own business and stayed out of the military’s way while soldiers and officers searched the shadows of the day. As tirelessly as they worked, casualties could not be stopped. Deaths of many men occurred and bodies already made themselves known, to no one’s surprise they were either boiled or frozen stiff. Ed, Al, Penelope, and Yuki caught glimpse of one of the bodies, still steaming from the turmoil it was put through. The living men called out for a medic and shouted that was fifth body they’ve discovered. “How awful…” Yuki whispered wanting to turn away but found it hard to do so.

Penelope forced her eyes to scan the body, but wincing and looking away from the sight by looking at the ground. “Must have been a steam explosion. With his alchemy it possible to raise the temperature for water fast enough to expand it with the force of a blast from a bomb it’s extremely effective seeing how the average human body is seventy percent water.” She explained while turning her eyes over to the partners she had a limited time with.

Ed swiftly walked away from the scene just as eager to leave the site as much as his brother or his partners. His fists tightened on each side of him as she walked past the three and his tone was quick and assertive. “Let’s hurry, we have to find him before he hurts anyone else.”

-

Isaac didn’t even breath as he drew in the transmutation circle into the ground. Sounds of chalk scraping around the ground were the only things he could hear. The tiny noises from the white powdery substance ceased when pulling it away from the ground and finishing his task. Drawing a transmutation circle on the ground, the very same on his gauntlet. “All finished…” Isaac whispered in his gruffed up voice. The pieces to his puzzle were falling into place, his master plan coming together at last.

Thoughts of his own glory were soon cut off by the loud overbearing sparks that seemed to be a dramatic volume change in comparison to the chalk. Isaac staggered backwards, dodging the spears stabbing out of the wall with a common alchemy but with an unknown source. “Impressive reflexes Isaac!” A loud voice from the other side of the wall applauded. “You were able to dodge my alchemy to easily!”

“I know that voice… Is that you Armstrong?”

A fist covered in a metal gauntlet broke through the brick wall creating a cloud of dust as Isaac could only stand by and watch. “Indeed, none other!” Armstrong yelled for a second before forcing the wall to collapse on itself. Stepping out from the dusty cloud and into sight finally, a large bald man with a single blonde hair that stuck out on the top of his head. “It tis I; The Strong Arm Alchemist, Alex Louis Armstrong in the flesh!”

“Oh shut it!” Isaac groaned now slamming his hands into a puddle of water and sending the contents flying into Armstrong’s direction. In which Armstrong dodged the movement with sharp ease, watching the water slice through the stone spikes meant to harm Isaac before. “I’ve always wanted to chop that ego down to size!” He yelled before sending another wave of water towards Armstrong’s direction.

“Except you’ll need far more than water to quench my fists!”

-

As the four started to walk away from the other side of the street an explosion burst from above the buildings, screaming for attention from all. Quickly the alchemists stopped in their tracks and turned their heads over their shoulders to see water and a dirty cloud flying. Through the shroud of particles several stone heads from Armstrong’s alchemy spinning into the air. “Found em.” Yuki and Penelope sighed in unison before running into the direction of the assault close behind Ed and Al.

-

None of the two seemed affected by their own alchemical power, although the piles of mass destruction and Armstrong shaped heads showed that both Isaac and Armstrong had fought for a long while. They remained in the exact same spot like statues. Before another single attack could come out Al cried out for Major Armstrong as he along with his brother and friends ran into the narrow alley way. Isaac swiftly turned back to the four and throwing his canteen full of water in their direction. In mid air the flowing water exploded into a heavy steam that scald the people exposed. Al grabbed onto Ed and shielded him with his armored back while Penelope grabbed onto Yuki as she was turning her around and placed her on the wall. She clapped her hands together and set them on the wall creating a large block of bricks to appear and covering the two up from the steam.

Meanwhile Isaac once again made his move in his escape away from the alchemists that plotted against him. “Water from his canteen, huh? Thanks Al for the quick save.” Ed spoke as he tapped on his brother’s chest piece.

“Nice save Pene.”

“Let’s go he’s getting away!” Al suggested.

From the mist Armstrong stepped into sight signalling that it was now safe to walk freely among the warm air. Looking over to the four loosening their bodies and stepping out from their covers from the once harsh environment. “Come, after me!” He replied as he walked out of the alley way with the four stepping behind him.

But, while they made their way out Ed peeked into the area where Penelope transmuted the brick wall that protected Yuki and herself from possible severe injuries. As thankful as he was for that action, he questioned it. That Penelope was able to draw a circle and save their skin quick enough. He looked at the place where her hand was placed at the time of the transmutation and his eyes widen slightly. There was no transmutation circle in sight or even a trace of one.

-

The night sky finally taken over, city lights shone through the darkness being able to stand out from miles away. Much like in the daytime the military still held discord in their hands, running around Central in order to find Isaac McDougal, oblivious to what he has in store for this city. From high above in a building he stood, watching the men run around like ants avoiding the ray of light from a magnifying glass. Tearing his eyes away from the people below he looked back to Central Command.

Behind him a group of men lead by Roy Mustang took their places, growing into formation and pointing their guns at him. Roy stepped forward while tightening his gloves down so that they were fully on his hands. Cutting through the silence he greeted Isaac. “It’s been a long time, Freezer.” Isaac looked over his shoulder and sure enough he saw the men with Roy Mustang.

He scoffed at the sight of Roy. “Roy Mustang, so the Flame Alchemist came to play.”

“You can make this easy on both of us, I’d rather not fight an old war buddy.”

“War buddy?” Isaac mockingly questioned. “Please don’t flatter yourself. I knew no friends in Ishval, only military bastards and their damn dogs!”

Roy raised his arm so that it pointed in Isaac’s direction before letting out one fatal snap. That snap resulted in a release of dancing flames hurdling towards Isaac. Isaac ducked only to set his hand onto a pipe underneath him. To battle against the firey flames from Roy’s side a surge of water erupted through the pipe and extinguished the flames into nothing a puff of smoke. When setting his hand down again he made another blast of water which made it appear to be raining on top of the building and another set of water splashing straight onto Roy. “When water meets flame, the flame goes out.” He reminded with a snicker as he ran towards the other corner of the roof and making a bridge made of ice that aided his escape.

-

Returning to the place where he spared with Armstrong after he ‘lost’ everyone he saw that the transmutation circle he drew before was covered in rubble. Most likely from the long battle before. Isaac knelt down to the ground and pulled the slabs of stone off the marking made of chalk and grinned when seeing its pristine state. Not even a mark was erased from the earlier brawl. “It’s still there, perfect!”

“Oi!” Penelope called out from the end of the alley way along with Ed. “Stop right where you are!”

From beside her Edward butted into the conversation. “I was wondering what you were doing in this alley so I came by to check it out; and bingo!”

Isaac laughed at the two and started to stand up. Facing him was Al and Yuki running to the other side of the alley way. “There’s nowhere to run this time!” Al yelled to Isaac. He was surrounded.

But that didn’t matter, since this plan was working almost like he imagined it. Now it was time to make the alchemy work it’s magic. He stood tall holding a grin high on his lips. “Clearly, but whose running?” Isaac questioned now a red glow shining underneath him. Shortly after the red glow appeared it was accompanied by red sparks shooting up to the sky. Not just in the spot where they stand.

Where the four teens stood there the same red sparks flying into the air creating a pillar of red light only few could explain. Ed in took some air and kept his eyes on the red jagged lines of light standing up from the ground and into the sky. His large golden eyes remained locked on this very image. “An alchemic reaction on this scale…”

“It’s impossible…” Yuki breathed out.

“Unless… You don’t think he-” Al continued.

Ed shot his gaze back to Isaac’s silhouette standing in the midst of the red light. A grin crept onto his face at the realization, the sudden thought that went through his head when putting two and two together. “The Philosopher’s Stone!” And with that the grin evaporated as the light transformed from red to blue.

The air around them grew tense and it flowed in the direction of the light violently. Acting like a vacuum and sucking in anything it could, yet Isaac stood among the winds, moving no muscle and holding the grin that Ed let down. Ice crept onto the ground, crackling as it formed farther and farther out of the alley way. In corner of Penelope’s eye she noticed this and saw the ice forming at an almost unbelievable speed. “He’s freezing all the moisture in the air… For what reason…?”

“Edward Elric, Penelope Dewitt.” Isaac started. “You’ve sworn your lives to the State as a dog of the military., but do you really know the ones you serve or what true plans are?”

“Who cares? It’s not my problem!”

“Don’t be a fool!” Isaac yelled over the winds at Ed. “He’ll lead us all to ruin I’m only doing what needs to be done!”

“I told you I don’t care!”

From the already forming ice wall Yuki and Al jumped over head with a snap echoing into the air. Yuki fingers slid together being the source of the sound and creating a high pitched noise blast into Isaac’s ears. He winced and covered up his ears as he staggered away from Al landing right in front of him, but still experiencing the pain of the noise which would only grow to haunt him as the battle progressed. Al threw exactly three blows on him until a swift kick sent him flying back out the alley way.

Penelope clapped her hands together and yanked her whip out into sight, a whip made from the metal inside of wires, barbed wires, copper, and other non-conductive materials. She twirled the rope around as yellow sparks of electricity crackled out from the rope before throwing it around Isaac’s ankle and zapping at his skin. All while tumbling into a nearby railing holding a stream water on a lower level below. “Alright, nice work guys!” Ed praised.

Al and Yuki stepped out into the light of the city and marched towards Isaac along with the other two teenagers. “We still have to stop his alchemy!” Al reminded.

“Yeah, that’s true.” Penelope muttered now inching closer to Isaac while clenching onto her whip.

Ed remained in his spot, keeping his distance from the man. Frankly the wisest choice considering they had no clue what this man was even capable of. “So where is it? You have a Philosopher’s Stone, don’t you?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I won’t ask again, where is it?”

“What are you going to do, boy? You’re out of your league!” Isaac yelled as the water nearby erupted into a large slab and morphing into the shape of a rectangular iceberg. Penelope gasped and stepped back far away from Isaac in fear that she would swallowed into an icy death.

The criminal only stood and grabbed onto the railing behind now being pulled away from the party. Ed, Al, and Yuki stared at the large form block of ice with disbelief not sure whether or not to climb or run away so they don’t meet their doom. Once again going back to where she stood before with determination swirling in her eyes. Pulling out her whip she spun it around close by her side with a small but arrogant smirk. “Don’t worry, I got this, I’ll be on his case faster than you can say transmute!” She assured now throwing her whip up to the climbing railing.

Lucky for her it wrapped around the bar she was hoping for, not ready to let go of it’s grasp any time soon. However, that luck only lasted so long. For Penelope’s beloved whip slipped out of her hands and climbed higher on the iceberg along with the railing attached. Her eyes widen remaining on her empty palm and jaw dropped down to her knees. “Wow, nice going there genius.” Ed muttered.

“Hey shut up Elric I don’t see you coming up with any better ideas!”

“At least I wasn’t the dumb ass that lost their weapon!”

Yuki butted into the two and their upcoming argument and stepped in between them. “This is not the time for arguing!”

Suddenly the iceberg started to shift in it’s spot before starting to grow larger and come closer to Ed, Al, Yuki, and Penelope. It was a fact that the eldest Elric and Dewitt confirmed almost instantly. The first two to run away were Al and Penelope, the third being Yuki, and the last being Edward. While the four ran away, letting out the occasional shriek of terror Armstrong stood in the center of the now empty street with a look that was never seen on Penelope before. “Stand back and prepare for a display of Armstrong alchemy!” He exclaimed, standing his ground as the usual. Like he was bound to stop this iceberg from causing any further damage.

“He’s all yours Major!” Ed hollered.

Running past Major Armstrong, stopping behind him Armstrong furrowed his yellow brows together. The mass of ice was overwhelming, strong and powerful as if it could be the cause of the end of times. Yet, Armstrong held no doubt in his mind that he could stop the force. “Witness the alchemic art passed down the Armstrong line for generations!” He spoke in his loud booming voice as his fist met with the iceberg. Much like Penelope before him, it appeared to be doing some good only to fall with a splat. As the overly large block of ice stopped it’s current path way and fired into the building on the left. “That’s unexpected…”

“What the heck are doing? You’re making it worse!”

“I was merely-”

Behind them came another crash which came from another iceberg zooming out of another building. Over the rooftops shards of ice stuck out, forming quickly into sight with a deadly tip accompanied by the red sparks from before. Yuki looked at these waves of ice and knitted her eyebrows together. “They’re merging.” She breathed out watching these walls of ice move across the city.

Penelope’s eyes widen and she slowly shook her head. “But that would mean… If those ice walls meet in the middle...”

Ed and Al started to put two and two together, now understanding what Penelope and Yuki discovered. The eldest brother let out a curse with no bother to hide it under his breath. “ It’s Central Command! He’s gonna freeze it over! Major, Al, Yuki, Penelope and I are gonna try and slow him down! Can you handle the transmutation circles?”

“Consider them erased. “Armstrong gruffly responded. “I’m on it.”

-

Surpassing the rooftops was silent, sounds of screaming townspeople seemed like tiny whispers lingering over Isaac’s ears. While his ears only registered the wind, his eyes were filled with unbelievable heights that would soon become a frozen wasteland. It was almost like something that came out of a person’s dreams, seeing so much ice consume a lifeforce. That ice could finally beat fire. “Führer King Bradley, for your cold blooded crimes in Ishval I condemn you to a frozen hell!” Isaac sentence, not expecting to hear a single response.

In the air he heard a voice. The voice of the Fullmetal Alchemist, screaming for him to not think so quickly as the pillar he traveled on with alchemy started to break apart and he landed right in front of him. Shortly after Edward arrived to the scene, it was Yuki, then Al, and then finally Penelope. Isaac grunted in annoyance but held no protests to fight the four. He set his hands on the ground creating an icy wave that came to them full speed ahead. “Two can play at that game!” Ed countered while creating an extra wave that cancelled out the previous ripple made by Isaac, along with the very cold ground beneath him.

As Isaac salvaged a block of ice into scalding rain Penelope noticed her whip falling with the remaining ice. She slid down to the ground while clapping her hands and setting them down to the ground. Before her lost item could either shatter on the ground or drip into the moat around the Command Center a hand made of ice swept down catching it in the palm. The water from before fell upon Ed, Al, and Yuki only feeling the heat of the burning liquid for a moment.

Footsteps pattered closer to the recovering teens, forcing their eyes upwards. Isaac had made ice sculpted steps allowing for him to charge to the brothers in specific. Jumping in the air red sparks danced out of Isaac’s hands as Al worriedly called out for his brother and pulled him out of reach. “Too slow!” He spoke as his hand was placed on Al’s helmet. Once more the red sparks exploded from Isaac's palm and blew Al’s helmet clean off with a misty steam.

“Alphonse!”

Both of the boys fell over as the steam disappeared, not even showing off the most interesting thing about the brothers yet. Isaac walked closer to the two only to get an incoming kick from both Ed and Al. He staggered backwards, dodging in the nick of time and recollecting himself just as the brothers finished standing back up. Finally, Al’s armor was seen from the inside.

Empty, with only a seal made with blood standing out. Both Isaac and Penelope let out a gasp at the sight while Yuki and Ed remained stone faced about the typically startling image. “There’s no one in there, it’s empty!” Isaac sputtered as Yuki reached down, grabbing onto Al’s head piece, and handing it back over. Penelope scrambled to her feet and kept her eyes locked, not sure what to think and feeling her breath lodged in her throat. “But that could only be true if that soul was bonded to the suit of armor! So, you lost your arm and your brother, he lost his entire body.” A bold grin dashed onto his face when realization took over, understanding what he was saying and seeing the aloof expressions plastered on Ed’s face. “I see, it all makes sense. You fools committed the ultimate taboo!” During the correct accusation Ed’s eyes widen at the man’s sheer audacity to stoop so low during the heat of battle. Yuki’s eyes gained a blistering fire, Penelope’s fists tighten and her head lowered so that her eyes met with her feet. “You attempted Human Transmutation, didn’t you? Alchemy’s one unforgivable sin!”

“Al!” A long scream echoed into the air of the house. “Dammit! This can’t be happening! No! He’s gone what have I done?” He knocked down a suit of armor with the helmet falling off after it. Crawling to the hole, blood trailed behind him, which would prove to be the perfect material for what he was going to do. “Give him back, he’s my brother! Just give him back! He’s my little brother, he’s all I have left!”

No one spoke, everyone’s breath remained held in their throats, a quiet tension shrouded over the once loud battle.“Ya know Isaac.” Penelope spat now raising her head. Under her whole body, she felt a whole new fire she hadn’t felt in years. Rage that was beyond indescribable. Adrenaline pumping in her blood, flowing in her veins, her heart punching her rib cage uncontrollably, becoming the persona of fury. “There are lines that should never be crossed.” Stomping forward she didn’t even pay attention to Yuki trailing behind with just as much rage as she held. A rush of anger that were held with her almost dead pan face, eyes dancing with a newfound flame, and allowing for her calm actions to melt away. Yet the reasons behind such rage were similar but oh so different. Yuki snapped her fingers together, forcing such an unbearable sound to shock into Isaac’s eardrums. All the while Penelope didn’t give him the chance to bring himself back up from the near deafening blow. She slammed her fist into his chest before reaching her hands over his head to clock him in the back of the skull. He was then sent down to the cold ground but not until he went through Penelope’s right knee. Isaac’s hand slammed onto the near melting surface and fired spikes at the brunette in attempt to get her enraged actions to stop momentarily. Instead Yuki kicked through the ice shards and stormed closer to Isaac before slamming her foot into his jaw, knocking him off the edge. As he tumbled, Penelope watched while breathing through her teeth. “That was one of those lines you pathetic scum!” She screamed her face growing red with anger.

Isaac rolled onto the ground as Ed, Al, Yuki and Penelope slid after him. On the way down Penelope snatched her whip out of the palm of the ice hand just in time to meet up with the other three teenagers. “Give it up! There’s no water to use here!” Ed told him with only an ounce of rage hanging in his voice.

A snicker came from Isaac’s throat as he raised his head upwards. Blood slipping from the top of his head, mouth and his right shoulder. The grin on his showed that he still wasn’t done yet, and he knew that he had them. Not even considering a well known fact about the human body that all scientists and alchemists should keep in mind. “You’ve forgotten something, I have all the water I need, seventy percent of it!” Isaac retorted now firing icicles made of blood into Ed’s left arm.

“Ed!” The three gasped now breaking the icicles in half as quick as they could.

Slowly Ed lowered himself to his knees in contrast to Isaac who was finally standing up after falling from a wall made of ice. “Why can’t you fools understand that I’m trying to save this country?” Isaac scolded at them. Then looking to the fortress that is Central Command he saw the blocks of ice start to creep into the moat and cool the water into a solid by the touch. He grasped onto his bleeding arm and let out a laugh.

While his opponents paid more mind to Ed’s injury he took his chance to leave. Ed’s teeth gritted together as he brought his hands around the icicles hanging out of his flesh. “Come on, we’re going after him. I’m not done.” He growled as he carelessly yanked the ice out from his covered up shoulder. “Not even close!”

-

Alley ways, the perfect home for criminals and fiends. It was there that acts against Central Command took place and where they would end. The transmutation circles were being wiped from the face of the earth of crumbled to where it was barely recognizable. Isaac lurked back into the darkness weakly, not aware that his plan was falling apart at the seams. Stopping in his tracks he saw the very man he was out for standing before him, bearing a rough and violent expression. If looks could kill, Isaac would have dropped dead in an instant from the eye of Führer King Bradley. Isaac spat out his name like it was poison before exploding into a stream of laughter. “Perfect!” Then transmuting his own blood once more to create a spear that froze into his hand. He started out with a shaky step, losing great deals of blood from the very actions, but started to charge for Bradley with giggles and grins. Isaac thought that he be on top, that he would win. He didn’t think fast enough, for Bradley pulled out his sword and cut into Isaac’s shoulders and neck right as the last circle was vanquished. And as Isaac fell a small red stone dissolved into his blood.

Like many before him and many after him, he was silenced.

Soldiers and officers came by started to investigate and clean up the scene of execution while the Führer watched by with a stern look. From behind the Elric Brothers, Yuki, and Penelope arrived seeing only the covered up body. Ed’s eyes widened upon seeing the Führer standing in front of the scene, letting out his name with a heavy breath. Turning around the man held a kind smile. “Ah, yes. Job well done, Fullmetal, Resonant, and Powered. I came out to see if I could lend a hand, and to think that I would be the one to catch him! If nothing else this should make an exciting story for my son!”

-

The chaos from Isaac’s actions melted away over night, people seemed to forget the ice walls and the soldiers running around with their heads cut off. Most likely because they were all thankful it was done and over with. Soldiers killed in action were dealt with and injures were tended to, much like Edward’s stab wound in his shoulder. Accompanying him was his brother, Yuki, and Penelope who was free to work by herself once more. “Ya know, we never did find out whether or not he had a Philosopher’s Stone.” Al started.

Ed shrugged. “No, but maybe it’ll say something in the official report.”

Yuki nodded and raised a small smile to her face. Then looking over to her lifelong friend she frowned knowing how today was going to end. That she would leave again, only the chances of seeing her in a coffin adorned with the green flag for Central for her service. “So, Penelope... “ She started catching her attention. “What are you gonna do now?”

“Not sure…” Penelope whispered shaking her head. “It depends on what Brigadier General Basque wants me to do. He’s coming back into town later this week and I have to wait for him to come back before I do anything, I might visit family.”

The eldest brother glanced over to Penelope, remembering seeing her transmutations yesterday, her outburst at Isaac’s decision to taunt the brothers about their attempts at Human Transmutation. As appreciative as he was that she took it upon herself to give him what he deserves with Yuki, it made him wonder. There was no doubt in his mind, she was hiding something, and he couldn’t be any farther from the truth. Everyone has a secret to hide. “Hey Penelope, I have a question for you.” He spoke taking her attention away. Penelope snapped her eyes over to him and nodded, allowing him to speak. “How are you able to transmute without a circle?”

Both Penelope and Yuki were taken aback by the question while Al turned to see Ed’s rather dull features. She inspected him with a furrowed brow, her arms crossing over her chest, and a small smirk forming on her lips. Surely she saw his question as a challenge, and it was a challenge she was going to return. “First off, it’s either Pene or Pen. Second off, I thought you could transmute without a circle so why are you questioning me about my abilities?” Penelope challenged.

“There’s only one other person I know of who can transmute without a circle.”

“Oh boy, so as soon as someone you barely know is able to do what you can, you get worried. Don’t worry I don’t plan on dethroning you.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about.”

“Then what is it that you’re worried about?”

Before Ed could even get a word out the door opened by Armstrong with a handful of fully bloomed roses that were just watered, leaving behind a lovely dew. With a kind look, Armstrong closed his eyes with a smile covered up by his yellow mustache. “Greetings Edward Elric, when I heard you were in the hospital, I dashed right over!” He explained loudly. Over his loud explanation Penelope said her farewells before leaving right when everything he came in with made it inside the room. Ed and Al shuddered at the sight of Armstrong, knowing his affection would only lead to one thing, the very horrendous action he was infamous for. Yuki frowned and tore her eyes from what was going to come, thanking her lucky stars that she wasn’t going to suffer through this ordeal. “And I suspected, you’re in desperate need of my assistance!” He exclaimed before stripping his shirt clean off. The boys let out a cry as the large man started to flex his muscles at even a reasonable distance. “You need the example of a perfect physical specimen to aspire your recovery! See, you’re looking livelier already!”

“Will you get out!” Ed yelled over the man’s laughter.

“Seriously…” Yuki grunted.


	2. Their First Day

A train, Liore bound, zipped past two small towns, whistling loud enough so that everyone in each town could hear it’s presence. Watching the green background pass the train by, Edward Elric sat with his eyes placed on the outside world with his fist resting against his cheek. Mostly train rides were conversation filled, the occasional rigged card game, and above all: sleep. Naturally people questioned how both Ed and Yuki could sleep soundly with the seats being their only source of ‘comfort’. The seats being as soft as a rocky path way, but over time that’s how the two alchemists, Ed especially, became experts on sleeping on train rides with seats that could make anyone’s rear sore.  
  
From beside the eldest brother, Al moved his helmet over to Ed and got his attention by whispering the quiet ‘brother’ he always does. Ed hummed in response now looking over to Al with his fist no longer resting on his cheek. “The stories about this priest in Liore, you think they’re true?” He questioned while unintentionally getting Yuki Mustang’s attention pulled away from her book.

Ed frowned slightly and placed two fingers on his forehead while turning his eyes away from his brother. “The ones about his ‘miracles’? They say he can transmute flowers out of thin air, right? Could be some slide of hands, a cheap trick like that.”

“And if it isn’t?” Yuki inquired

Smirking in response while shaking his head at the possible thought of this being the actual Philosopher’s Stone. In the hands of a priest of all places. The thought being somewhat amusing to him. “Right, if it’s not I suppose all that leaves is the real thing.”

The Philosopher’s Stone is known by many names, but that being it’s most famous name in the country of Amestris. It was a blood red stone that destroyed the ancient city of Xerxes in a single night, thus the legend of it was born. Said to amplify one’s alchemy greatly. At a young age the Elrics looked into such an object after the blow of a tragedy struck them and held the theory that very stone may be the key to giving Al his body back and Ed his lost limbs. Yuki held no gain as far as the brother’s were aware of, but for whatever gain she could possibly have she would hold it off until the Elric’s recovered.

The black haired teen closed the book with one hand and a faint smile rested on her cheeks. “I don’t know about you two, but I have a pretty good feeling about this one.” She stated while placing the book to her left.

Both the boys nodded and a smile found itself on Ed’s face. “Yeah…” Al spoke, smiling in his voice. “Me too.”

_Ten years earlier than these trying times, in the small town of Resembool lived three children: Joslyn, Edward, and Alphonse. The eldest sibling was eight at the time, brown hair with green eyes much like her mother, Trisha Elric. The two brothers greatly resembled their father, one with golden hair and golden eyes that appeared to be made out of the sunlight and fire. Where the man was, no one knew. Not even Trisha herself was aware of his exact location, but she was focused on caring for her three children._

_There was one day when the three children snuck into their father’s old study and discovered the science known as alchemy. Trisha wondered around the house, calling for her children then opening into the study seeing Ed scribbling on the floor with white chalk while his two other siblings looked through the books. She sighed and held her basket of tomatoes close to her stomach. “Oh you kids. Are you in here messing up your dad’s study again? And Ed, you know better to scribble on the floor!” She spoke in her ‘motherly’ voice._

_Ed just remained in his spot, placing the chalk close by to his side. “Yeah, but it’s not scribbling. Here, watch!” He said excitedly now shifting in his spot so he was now on his knees._

_Clapping his hands together and setting them onto the circle, blue sparks danced out of the ground. The room glowed with blue light as Trisha’s eyes widen for a moment at her son’s new found abilities. When the light faded a tiny bird made of the wooden ground was created. “Oh my, that’s alchemy isn’t it?” Trisha gasped now walking closer to her children. She knelt down on the ground, resting on her knees while setting her basket of tomatoes to the side. “Did your dad teach you that?”_

_“He can’t teach us anything when he’s not here.” Joslyn answered while shaking her head._

_Al nodded in response but added a bigger smile in comparison to Joslyn’s. “Right, we read about it in these books!”_

_“I can’t believe you’ve done this…”_

_Immediately the children looked to each other with a defeated frown, assuming the worst when their mother said that. Their shoulders slouched as the three looked down to the wooden bird with disappointment in their eyes. “I’m sorry…” Ed started. “Did we mess up?”_

_Trisha shook her head while slapping her hands together with a small smile playing on her features. “Oh no! It’s great! You definitely take after your father! My little geniuses, you make me so proud!”_

And that was it, Mom gave us all the encouragement we needed. From that moment we were obsessed with learning alchemy. But then, in the summer of that same year an epidemic swept the nation. The sickness came and it took her.

_Typically in life the parents are always buried in the ground by the children. It’s never the other way around, thankfully that was not what ended up happening. Instead three young children who haven’t even reached ten had to attend the funeral of their late mother, someone who surely died way too soon. Life is a cruel creature that takes people and animals away without even batting an eye, yet a creature like that is necessary for the natural law. The living live and then they die._

_Post funeral the three children sat in front of the grave marking the untimely death of Trisha Elric. A lone bouquet of white flowers wrapped with pink paper sat on the base of the tombstone and yet the Elrics paid no mind to it, but only to the thought of how this could have happened. None of them spoke, they sat lost in thought, words weren’t necessary for them to express their overwhelming sadness. “Hey Brother, Sister…?” Al started quietly. “I’m hungry, aren’t you both too? And it’s cold here, let’s go home, please? Once dad comes back everything-”_

_“Don’t even talk about him!” Ed yelled now making both Joslyn and Al jump and look to the now angry boy. “That bastard doesn’t care about us! He’s not our dad, he didn’t even come to Mom’s funeral.”_

_Both Joslyn and Al forced their heads back down to the grave, not even bothering on arguing with Ed about where their father stands. The eldest sibling knew Ed was right, part of Al knew that as well, but they both kept an open mind about their father. If he were to return Al would treat him with respect, and Joslyn would be too busy focusing on making sure Ed kept his cool around him. She understood why her brother resented their father and she didn’t complain about it in anyway. “You know there might be a way to bring Mom back.” Ed stated quietly so the two of them could hear._

_Joslyn snapped her eyes over to Ed and gained a serious look to him. “Ed, bringing back the dead is something no one it allowed to do. You know that right?”_

_“Yeah.” Ed responded while standing up so that he towered over both his sister and his younger brother. “That’s why it’ll be our secret.”_

_Behind them crept two girls, almost identical in appearance and far different in personality department. Both twins, Winry and Wynter Rockbell with blonde short hair and crystal blue eyes, the face of a pure Amestrian. Winry was more outspoken, held thicker skin, and firmer than her sister who was the opposite. Wynter held a cooler head, kept her mind so open her mouth and thoughts were one, and remained silent most of the time. “I thought we’d find you here…” Winry’s voice cut through the air with a high pitch._   
_“What do you two want…?”_

_“Ya know, Grandma says you shouldn’t cry for loved ones who have passed away because when you do it makes them feel sad in the next world too.” Wynter recited with a small sad smile on her face._

_Al and Joslyn’s eyes soften on Wynter, appreciating her kind words even though they didn’t specifically come from her. Ed furrowed his brows stubbornly and tightened his fists. “We’re not crying! And who are you to talk anyway? Every time your parents go some place far away you cry like a little baby!”_

_“Edward…” Joslyn scolded._

_Instantly Wynter’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment with her hands holding each other behind her back. In a low mumble she tried to deny Ed’s rather harsh accusation, almost being a miracle that Ed could even hear what she was saying. “Heh, are you sure? Baby?” He taunted which made Wynter’s face longer._

_Winry pulled Wynter aside and told her to run back home to her grandmother’s. Upon the sister’s departure Winry shot a glare at the eldest brother. “We were so stupid for worrying about you! We’re going home to tell Grandma not to make you any dinner!” She yelled now running away from the entrance of the cemetery after her sister._

_“H-Hey! What’re you gonna do that for?” Ed whined now running after them. “Hold up!”_

_“Yeah wait for us too!”_

_-_

_The Elrics sat on the right side of the table while the Rockbells sat on the left side. As Pinako Rockbell, a shorter old woman with grey hair greased into a high ponytail and a pipe sticking out from the side of her mouth, set the table for dinner Joslyn glowered at Ed for his words towards Wynter. With a frown she rose her hand and slammed it at the back of his head almost sending his face into the table. Ed grunted in pain and shot a glare to his sister, “What was that for Jos?”_

_“You know exactly why I did that.” Joslyn retorted while sticking up her nose._

_Before Ed could get his swift revenge Pinako sat down in front of him and slammed her pipe of the table. “No violence at the table.” She muttered now releasing her pipe. Dinner had finally begun with the children. In unison all the children thanked Pinako for dinner and began to feast on their soup, savor the broth and drink milk straight from the bottle. Pinako glanced over to Ed, noticing right away that his glass of milk remained untouched by the boy. “Come on Ed, drink your milk too.” She told him._

_“No.” Ed spat glaring at the milk. “I hate milk.”_

_“If you don’t drink it you’ll stay short forever.”_

_“Y’mean like you, you sawed up old hag!”_

_“What was that, you little half pint midget!”_

_“Shrunk down mini witch!”_

_“Micro-peewee!”_

_“Baby ant baby!”_

_“Sub-atomic shrimp!”_

_-_

_Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months. Whenever they could the Elrics read and researched Human Transmutation, sometimes reading an alchemy book front to back. Joslyn was still uneasy about the topic and found excuses to get out of reading about it such as homework, class time, even helping Pinako cook was good enough for her. Meanwhile Ed and Al would spend their time reading alchemy books during class, ignoring lessons, refusing to do homework, the boys became obsessed with trying to bring their mother back._

_The school bells rang, releasing the children out into the sun filled air walking in pairs or solo back to their homes. All children except for Winry, Wynter, Joslyn, Edward, and Alphonse walking all together in a small clump. “You were reading those weird books in the middle of class again. You need to pay attention to the lessons.” Winry told them with a stern voice._

_“Leave us alone, will ya?” Ed sighed,  annoyance accompanying his voice._

_Wynter smiled and looked over to Al with a glow in her eyes. The girl enjoyed reading no matter what, she could pick up any book and get immersed in whatever it said. “So, what books are you guys reading?” She asked with a bright smile._

_Al smiled and shook his head. “It’s a secret!”_

_“In other words it’s none of your damn business.”_

_“No fair Ed, you guys always keep secrets!” Wynter whined now seeing a stone bridging coming up ahead._

_While the Elrics continued their way on the bridge to their quiet little home Winry and Wynter watched them walk away. Wynter sighed and briskly turned to the turn to her left to walk away only to stop when Winry wouldn’t follow along. The other twin’s eyes widen for moment now holding her hands to the sides of her mouth. “Hey I forgot, Grandma wanted me to tell you she’s making stew tonight!”_

_“Yay stew!”_

_Joslyn looked over her shoulder and smiled at the two girls with a small wave. “Gotcha, see ya then!”_

_-_

_The night sky covered the town and anything surpassing it, stars fluttered the sky, clouds stained by the black sky shrouded the moon snuffing out a possible source of light. From the hilltop stood the house of the Elrics, the first room on the right glowed with candles so that the  people from outside could see from the window. When the three orphans weren’t at school or eating at the Rockbells they were in their father’s study reading all of the books and notes on making the perfect human. Breaking apart formulas down to the last detail. Each of them were better at the process with a full stomach, even more so when stew was added to the equation. “Ya know whoever made stew must have been a genius!” Ed stated now poking his head out from the book. “It even has milk in it and it’s still good!”_

_Joslyn chuckled and shook her head at her brother’s logic. She knew full well that if he could live off stew he would, but it still wouldn’t change his height for the better. It was intriguing to not only her but Al that if there is someway to sneak milk into a food that Ed likes he instantly considers them an even bigger genius. “So you're saying just because it has milk that makes it genius?” The eldest sister questioned raising an eyebrow at him._

_“Someone came up with the idea to pour milk into vegetable soup for the first time, right? That’s a leap of imagination! The kind a scientist needs to make too!” Ed answered._

_“I guess that’s true…” Al murmured in thought while looking up to the ceiling._

_“Sure it is! Just one leap that’s all it takes! And it’s what we need to figure out Human Transmutation!”_

And so we began searching for the key that would unlock the secrets to Human Transmutation and bring Mom back to life. We trained with an alchemy teacher to prepare our bodies as well as our minds. It took years of constant effort, but we wanted to see Mom’s smile again. We wanted to go back our lives with her as it used to be. That’s what drove us day and night.

_The sky was tinted with reds, blues, and purples that colored the town of Resembool with these grim shades. In front of the house of the Elrics a crow let out it’s call before sending many like it a flutter along with itself. The study was the set location of the transmutation, a tub set in the center of the room reserved for the elements of a functioning human body. “Water, thirty-five litters. Carbon, twenty kilograms. Ammonia, four litters. Lime, one-point-five kilograms. Phosphorus, eight-hundred grams. Salt, two-hundred-fifty grams. Saltpeter, one-hundred grams. Sulfur, eighty grams. Fluorine, seven-point-five grams. Iron, five-grams. Silicon, three grams.” Ed listed off as the two other Elrics prepared the tub of water. Now finishing it off with a tub of water. He turned to the two other siblings, Al being excited just as much as his brother while Joslyn was becoming more nervous as each second passed by. “Right, now the constructional formula.” Ed stated now helping Al and Joslyn draw the very intricate and detailed Transmutation Circle, the soft scraping of the chalk against the ground filled the room along with the smell of the fragile substance. “And finally we need some soul data.”_

_When pulling out a knife Joslyn jumped a little upon seeing her younger brother with such a sharp tool. With ease Ed cut into his finger, shedding some of his blood before handing the knife to his younger brother. Holding up the same odd easiness Al cut into his finger, shedding some blood as well. It was then Joslyn’s turn to cut into her own skin, to help aid her brothers reach the end of their constant years of reading, training, and building up. She brought the knife to her index finger but stopped when it rested on her skin._

_In that moment her blood ran cold, she was ready to back out of all this, have her brothers handle the rest and turn the other cheek. There was war in her mind her versus herself but she was running out of time. A choice must be made. Do this with her brothers or stand aside? Joslyn released a pound of air while she rose the knife and handed it back to Ed. “I… I can’t do this…” She spoke while slouching her shoulders._

_“What?” Al gasped._

_“Why not?”_

_“Because I...!” She started while shaking her head. “Listen, I just don’t think we should… The books say that this is a taboo. It has to be taboo for a reason. They wouldn’t just forbid something for no reason. Refuse to listen, read the book so many times you remember what taboo means, or read it and still do this. Do whatever you want, I won’t take part in this.” At that moment, she strode out of the room and out of the house. The young girl just walked away, to where she didn’t know and she wasn’t sure how long it would be until she came back to her brothers. Maybe within seconds, minutes, or even hours. Never would she dream about breaking their connection for days, especially when she didn’t know what this Transmutation could do._

_Ed and Al glanced to each other, not sure if they should go after their sister to see if she was okay. In the end, Ed decided that doing so wouldn’t be happening. It would only slow them down after all. Both of them knelt down to the circle, sitting on their knees and placing their hands on the beautifully crafted circle with a bright smile on their faces. “This is it, Al.” Ed spoke as the circle began to glow with a bright blue light._

_Things started out fairly well, blue sparks of alchemy dancing around to the tin and in random spots in the grand circle. But that only lasted so long, for the light shifted from blue to sickening purple with black shadow like air shifting from the edges of the circle. Instantly Al shifted to his older brother with a look of worry. “Ed, something doesn’t feel right.” He mumbled now barely noticing the grey eye opening up over the circle with with the tin container covering up the pupil._

_Black ominous hands carved from the most inky shadows fired out of the circle and started their mission as well. First it was Al’s hand left hand that started to break down into oblivion by the hands that merely touched him. Al let out a cry in horror as he quickly shot onto his feet._

_Ed yelled out to Al now feeling the pain in his left leg. The hands stretching out and touching the eldest brother’s rather small leg, making that too start to break apart. He let out a cry in pain now tumbling down onto his arms and leg. Looking over he saw the wiggling hands wrapping around his stump and what remained of his left foot. With tears in his eyes he stared with shock. “It can’t be… A rebound…?”_

_“Brother!” Al screamed as he was being dragged to the circle by the hands, slowly being deconstructed as he cried out for his brother’s help._

_“Al!” The screams filled the empty house while Al continued to fall apart and his hand reached desperately for his only reachable sibling. From where he was Ed tried to reach for his brother not even touching him. There were other matters to be seen._

_-_

_Without even a moment in between him reaching for his trouble brother and his present, Ed found himself with his left leg completely in tact in an empty white location. It could hardly be called a room. This place was a completely white, shrouded area with no detail expect white. So much of one color could make a person go blind, white no less. Behind Ed there was a large grey door that more than a hundred times his size. “Al…?” Ed quietly hollered almost inaudible. “W-wait… what was I doing? I just…”_

_Suddenly appearing before the boy was blank silhouette that was about as tall as Ed surrounded by thick black air, it sat before him but wasn’t even noticed. It let out a gruff ‘hello’ and startled the already bewildered child. Looking over he saw to the white figure with wide eyes. “W-Who are you?” Ed stammered._

_“Huh, I’m so glad you asked!” It gasped, pleasure in it’s voice. “I am called by many names, I am The World, I am The Universe, I am God, I am Truth, I am All, I am One.” Then lifting it’s head with a grin being the only thing that showed in it’s features. Slowly Truth’s arm lifted upwards and extended it’s finger up to Ed, pointing straight at him. “And I am also, you.” A quiet gasp stifled out of Ed’s opened lips. The air began to become thick, tense and soaking with trepidation as the door behind Ed opened. His blood went cold as he slowly shifted, turning his head over to sight of the door opening up. A lone grey eye remained surrounded by dooming darkness with the same black hands from before oozing out of the opening. “You have dared to knock on the door, now the door is open.” The hands dashed towards Ed who did his best to launch away from the horrendous sensation only to be caught almost in a painfully easy way. Ed let out cries and screams in a nonstop order trying to save himself from the traumatizing ordeal. “Quiet child, this is what you wanted, isn’t it? I will show you the truth.”_

_Ed let out another scream as he finally realized he was in the doorway, his eyes widening in horror. Before there was any thought put into how to get out the door slammed shut and the boy was hurdled into pitch black darkness. The screaming boy was then faced with waves of information, things he already knew, things and people he would see in the future, even such knowledge he wouldn’t begin to understand._

It was like all the information in the world was being poured into my brain at once.

_“It’s too much, make it stop!” Ed pleaded loudly. Yet it was no use, there was no stopping the misery of the truth. It couldn’t be stopped, especially for him. He could feel his whole body peel away into dust, limb from limb as he kept his eyes forward not bearing to look. “What’s happening to me! Stop it! Make it stop!”_

My head was about to burst. In an instant, it all became clear. The Truth, of everything.

_His eyes suddenly went large as he saw a tall figure with flowing hair in the now white background, almost like this person was carved of the light of day. It was tall, dependent, motherly. Ed pulled his only arm closer in the figure’s direction, reaching for her as if his life depended on it. To be fair, in his mind, his life did depend on it. “Mom! Mom please!” Mere inches away, their hands almost touched. Until it stopped._

_The grueling episode finally ended. Once more Ed reappeared back into the pitch white room with his limbs returned and his right hand extended to nothing but the air. Heaving breaths that were desperate for air struggled out of Ed’s throat as his wide eyes remained so. He only recovered after the Truth asked him how the event went. Ed slowly lowered his hand and turned to the door before walking closer to it. “I see, the theory of Human Transmutation wasn’t wrong. It can be done, it’s possible.” He said now placing his hands back on the bulky stone doors. “It’s still just missing something! All the answers I need are right here! The truth about Human Transmutation! Please you have to show it to me again!”_

_“I can’t do that.” Truth stated now standing up on his two feet. “I’ve already shown you what I can with the toll you’ve paid.”_

_“Toll? What toll?”_

_“This. Surely you knew.” Truth answered now sticking out his left foot which began to grow with human flesh which crawled up his leg while Ed’s leg in return disappeared. Ed looked down when seeing this breathing became harder as his face went almost as pale as the area now. “It’s the law of Equivalent Exchange, right young alchemist?”_

_-_

_In painful reality, Ed laid on the ground alone in the shadows of the blue sparks of alchemy holding his bloody stump leg while letting out a yell in agony. A pile clothes was all that remained of his younger brother, the body was nowhere to be seen. He was gone. Taken by the very Truth. Ed forced himself back to his arms and lone knee as blood slithered out of the stump. “Dammit! This can’t be happening! It can’t be! This… This isn’t wasn’t supposed to... No! He’s gone what have I done?” Ed slumped down to his side in pain and screwed his eyes shut. “Somebody help me… Joslyn… Please Mom…”_

_The lights of alchemy died down which made Ed’s eyes shoot open quickly. Smoke faded into the air revealing what they have made. A grotesque creature, with the insides hanging outside but somehow being able to let out heavy breaths. Ed stared in terror with his mouth hanging open. It’s hand reached out over the growing puddle of blood and then fell to the ground in the liquidy substance. “No… This is… This is wrong! This isn’t… This isn’t what we wanted! Al! Alphonse! Alphonse! This is all my fault! Alphonse no!” He knocked down a suit of armor with the helmet falling off after it. Crawling to the hole, blood trailed behind him, which would prove to be the perfect material for what he was going to do. Using his blood he started to draw a transmutation circle and prepared himself to return to the nightmare. “Dammit! You won’t take him too! Give him back, he’s my brother! Take my leg, take my arm, take my heart! Take anything you can have it! Just give him back! He’s my little brother, he’s all I have left!” Then clapping his hands, it started all over again._

_-_

Currently, Joslyn sat at the train station waiting for either the train or for Roy and Riza to come by. Beside her was Penelope who was also told to head to Eastern City for to further her research after a very lengthy call with Basque. The timing was perfect since her ‘family’ resided in the location, it was the best time to pop by for a visit. Both of the girls sat in solemn silence not sure what to use as a conversation starter. Joslyn sighed and looked over to Penelope. “So, you found out?” Penelope already knew what the Elric was referring to. The brothers, one missing an arm and a leg while the other lost his whole body. Forever cursed to walk the earth as a hollow shell. She wetted her lips and nodded. Joslyn looked over to the teen with distress apparent in her eyes. “Say something Pene… Anything.”

Penelope sighed and sat up straight. “Well, there’s nothing I can say.” She told her with a small shrug.

“I’m surprised you’re so mellow.”

“What else did you expect?” The Elric sister sighed in response and shook her head while shrugging. Joslyn lowered her head and stared down at the concrete ground with soft eyes. She didn’t need to worry about Penelope gossiping about Ed and Al, it wouldn’t make sense for her to blabber on about it. Penelope let out a huff of air and leaned back on the bench. “I do have some questions though.” The alchemist confirmed with a frown.

Joslyn whipped her eyes over to her direction. “You know more about the topic than I do. Why do you intend on bothering me with questions you already know the answer to? Your memory’s bad but not that bad.”

With a shrug Penelope’s lips pressed together into a thin line while melting her body to the bench. Busy people passed by, either briskly getting onto trains or saying hello to loved ones they haven’t seen in quite some time. This day could be considered extraordinary to these people but to these two girls it felt normal or like a chore. To Joslyn it was another day where she lay wondering how her brothers were doing under the watch of Yuki, to Penelope is was just another day lost that she would never have back. “So… What was it like for you?” She started off quietly.

A rather foolish question in the mind of Joslyn, but part of Penelope knew that it was dumb to ask herself. Yet, she felt the need to question Joslyn about it. The Elric sighed and shook her head. “Well, I didn’t even witness the mess I walked in after it was done. I walked out on them and they paid for it. When I came back home after refusing to bring my mom back with them my dad’s study was covered in blood, Ed had already lost his left leg and his right arm and my brother was gone. Whatever they made was hardly considered alive, there was no saving it and there was no way in hell it was our mother. They didn’t get what they wanted, they got some other… _Beast_. Al and I had to carry Ed’s bloody body back to a friend’s house so he could get fixed up. They asked me what I was doing at the time, why I wasn’t there for them. Can you even begin to imagine how difficult that was for me? I wouldn’t be surprised if those boys, my brothers, my only family left hated me for not helping them. Nothing can atone for not being there for them, the amount of tears I’ve shed for my brothers won’t fix them. Family are supposed to fight and go through hell together, they’ve seen hell and they’re going to see more of it, but even now I can’t be there for them.”

_The next day was bright with sunlight on the surface but digging underneath all people find is dread. A horrific thing occurred the night before, shaking the Rockbells and the Elrics. But the three children were nowhere to be seen, leaving behind the ruins of their sin. Human Transmutation, the very thing three failed to do. Roy Mustang, a man in the military came to Resembool to see a gifted alchemist, but instead came across the ruins of the study. He stared in horror as his trusted subordinate stepped inside after searching the house. Riza stepped into the room looking over to Roy. “Lieutenant Colonel, they’re not in back either.” She stated now looking over to the transmutation circle soaked in blood. “What is this…?”_

_“Where are they? Where are the Elrics, I want them found!” Roy yelled now feeling anger boil in his blood._

_-_

_It wasn’t long until they found themselves at the Rockbell household which was also the location of their Automail making business. Roy knocked on the door firmly which triggered the dog behind the door into a barking frenzy. From behind the door Pianko tried to appease the dog while tending to the guests. “Oh hush Den, don’t bark at our guest!” She scolded as she opened up the door to see Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye. Then without any hesitation Roy fully opened the door and pushed himself inside the house. “Hey! What is this! You have no reason to come barging in here!”_

_Roy’s eyes searched the room, finding Ed sitting in a wheelchair with Al behind it with Joslyn close by in another room. The poor child looked beaten up, hollow eyes the remained unmoving. His sister was no better, red shot eyes, bags, with a rather pale expression looking like she hadn’t slept in days. Yet that didn’t stop the man from charging forward and grabbing Ed by the collar of his shirt, practically pulling him off the chair. Joslyn jumped and her eyes widen now jolting to her feet to come to her brother’s aid. “We went to your house, we saw the floor! What was that! What did you do!” Roy loudly interrogated._

_Not even holding a trace of bewilderment Ed looked up to Roy before clenching his teeth and looking back down to the ground. Before Roy could finish Al walked around and rested his metal hand on his arm along with Joslyn. “We’re sorry…” Al whimpered now throwing Roy right off guard. “We didn’t mean it… We’re sorry…” Over and over becoming quieter Al told Roy that they were sorry for what they’ve done. Throwing Roy out of his firey rage and pulling him off guard._

_-_

_Everything finally grew calm, Roy sat at the dining room table with the Elrics and Pinako holding heavy matters. It was clear that the Lieutenant Colonel wouldn’t go around telling his colleagues what he’s seen here today. “This is a surprise to say the least. I’d heard reports that there was a brilliant alchemist living in this town so I came to check them out. The last thing I expected to find was a boy skilled enough to attempt Human Transmutation or advanced enough to bond a soul to a suit of armor. I’d say he’s more than qualified to become a State Alchemist. Should he choose to accept the position he’ll be required to serve the military in times of national emergency. In return he’ll receive privileges and access to otherwise restricted research materials. Given time, they may be able to get their bodies back and maybe more.”_

_Pinako slammed the rim of her pipe on the closest surface she could find, cutting off Roy from any other offer he had in store. “Right after Joslyn brought him to my door half dead and covered in blood, I went over to their house to see for myself what happened. What was there, whatever that thing was it wasn’t human! Alchemy created that abomination, it nearly killed them, and you want to throw those boys head long into it! Would you really have them go through that hell again?”_

_-_

_In another room Riza Hawkeye sat alone on a couch, waiting for Roy return from talking with Pinako about the boys. Wynter stepped inside the room with Winry right next to her while holding a tray with three cups of tea for the other guest. The quieter Rockbell extended the tray in which the cups of tea rested. “Some tea…?” She murmured quietly. Riza accepted the tea and thanked the young girl for the kind offer._

_Winry took a cup from Wynter’s tray and sat down on the other end of the couch from Riza. Instead her sister sat in the middle of the couch while holding the cup of tea. The air was tense, thick with silence. Part of Wynter was still stunned by the events of the night before, seeing her friends coming to them in a panic holding Ed who was on the brink of death. The other Rockbell on the other hand kept all the worry and distress internal in the best way she could, it was only a matter of time until she breaks. “Say… Lieutenant…?”_

_“Just Riza please, Riza Hawkeye.” She replied with a smile before turning to the two and holding out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you both.”_

_Instead of shaking hands with the woman both of the girls glanced away much to Riza’s astonishment. “Lieutenant?” Winry started quietly. “Have you ever had to shoot anyone?”_

_The day was full of surprises for the militants, each were different. Roy in the sense that he came across the Elric Brothers, then Riza in which she was immediately asked if she ever had to shot a person by a child. Glancing away from the two she answered. “Yes I have…”_

_“I hate what you soldiers do. Soldiers like you are the reason why our mom and dad left during the war and soldiers are the reason their dead.” Winry spat. “And now you… Now you’re here to take Ed and Al away too.”_

_“If they go that decision will be theirs and theirs alone. Yes, it’s entirely up to them now.”_

_-_

_“I’m not forcing you.” Roy clarified. “I’m merely offering you the possibility.”_

_-_

_“Whether to move forward or stand still.”_

_-_

_“Will you sit in the chair and wallow in self pity or will you stand up and cease the chance the military can give you?”_

_-_

_“It’s their choice. They choose their own path.”_

_-_

_“If you believe the possibility exists for getting your bodies back you should seek it out and keep moving. Whatever it takes even if the way ahead lies through the river of mud.”_

_-_

_Winry stared down at her cup of tea, her face reflecting in the clear oak colored tea, rubbing the rim with her index finger. On the other side of her Wynter clenched onto the handles of the tray firmly so the flat surface wouldn’t shake in her hands. She swallowed hard and stared at her untouched tea surely becoming colder the less she touched it. “Miss.Riza, why is that you became a soldier?” Wynter questioned quietly while inspecting her features from the cup of tea._

_A smile came across Riza’s lips as she lightly relaxed her shoulders and closed her eyes. That was a question that part of her expected to get at some point from one of these girls. “Because there’s someone I have to protect.” Riza answered. Both Winry and Wynter’s eyes widen now snapping their gaze to the woman._

_Not even before a silence could be created Roy opened up the door stepping inside the room with his unchanging poker face. He told Riza that it was time to head out in return she obediently stood now placing the tea back on the tray while grabbing her jacket. Wynter set the tray where Riza sat at before and stood watching her with awe much like Winry did. They couldn’t help but to follow the two to bid them farewell outside. As Riza walked to their ride she smiled and turned to the two girls. “Well I guess this is goodbye young ladies.”_

_Winry rose her hand for Riza to shake her hand trying to repay the refusal to shake hands before. “It’s Winry.” She mumbled quietly._

_“And I’m Wynter.” Wynter butted in._

_Riza blinked at the two for a moment but the surprise took control and was replaced with a soft smile. Now taking Winry’s hand she shook it with a strong grasp. “Right bye Winry, Wynter. I hope we meet again someday.”_

_With all that done and out of the way both Roy and Riza left in the back of a cart, most likely to be taken back to the train station. There was work to be done. Roy couldn’t talk with the Elrics all day after all. Riza glanced at Roy with narrowed eyes. “Will they be coming?” She questioned, even though part of her already knew the answer. Roy could prove to be very persuasive if need be, especially given the condition of Ed and Al._

_“They’ll come.”_

_Riza’s eyes looked off to the distance, to the fields filled with nothing but tall green grass. “That boy, I’ve never seen anyone look so defeated.”_

_Her commanding officer smirked when hearing the word defeated. It was rather unfitting for the boy’s look. Sure that’s how he appeared, but after the talk things changed. Roy lit something in the boy that’s for sure. “Is that what you saw?” He inquired. “No, there was fire in those eyes.”_

_-_

_By nighttime Ed was returned to being responsive, while speaking with Joslyn he mentioned that he wanted automail as soon as possible. Of course wanting to fulfill his wishes she informed Pinako and the Rockbell sisters of this news. There was no doubt that Ed was preparing himself for his State Alchemist exam. His mind was set and no one could talk him out of doing what few have been successful at doing, especially for someone is age. Becoming a State Alchemist. Edward Elric was set to be the youngest State Alchemist Amestris will ever have. “You’re sure you won’t regret this?” Pinako questioned now preparing the first out of many operations._

_Without even a trace of hesitation he nodded. “My mind’s made up.” Ed said with a solid voice._

_“How long will the surgery and the rehabilitation take?” Joslyn asked with concern reaching higher upon seeing the tools that Pinako began to pull out._

_“I’d say about three years, more or less.”_

_Ed took a deep breath through his nose while closing his eyes and grabbed a fistfull of the clothed sheets. When opening the eyes the fire appeared once more. Flames as apparent as the sun during the summer day. “I’ll do it one.” He muttered._

_The three Rockbells couldn’t help but gasp at Ed’s sudden statement. For the most part it wasn’t the best to just decide cut the recovery time from such a slow torturous ordeal down to size. Many have wanted to stop even before the first operation was completed, getting automail was already a huge feat. But to do everything within a year is unheard of. “You’ll have yourself spitting blood, you know that?” Pinako sighed now shaking her head._

_The boy only nodded and looked over to Al with a startling smile. Now that was a miracle itself. A smile like that after enduring such a traumatizing experience. “Al, just hang in there a little longer. Okay? We’ll get you your body back.”_

_Al nodded in response with an affirmation that was as soft as bricks. “Right, and while we’re at it we’ll get yours back too.” His brother nodded in response and his smile grew._

_-_

_One year, to everyone’s surprise was enough for the eldest Elric brother. A metal prosthetic now replacing his left leg and right arm, his hair growing long enough for it to be put in an braid and the fire in his eyes grew more powerful. Blood and pain wasn’t enough to put out the flames of determination that Ed had locked away. To test out the movements of the the automail both Ed and Al sparred, pulling out moves that seemed to come out of thin air. All the while the eldest Elric watched with a soft smile at how her brothers have grown._

_Ed dodged a punch from Al and powered up jump with his feet slamming into Al’s wrists that covered up his metal helmet. The older brother jumped back and landed on his feet just in time to block a punch, Al dodged a kick and slammed both of their wrists together. With a grin Ed stood tall and tightened his metal hand. Joslyn smiled and walked to the two of them. “Looks like you’re finally in perfect shape.” She stated._

_“Yeah, now I need to try some alchemy.” Ed stated now looking to his hands. “I guess it’s been awhile since the last time I used it.”_

_“No, not since the night we tried to bring mom back. Right?” While Al spoke, Ed closed his eyes and raised his hands up to his chest. A soft breath of air was pulled into his body as his hands slammed together, creating almost an echo then placing his hand on his automail arm. The blue streams of light instantaneously surged out from the contact and created a blade that stretched past his hand. “Brother!”_

_“Ed!”_

_“Yeah, I’d say that’s right on the money!”_

_Al’s armor shifted with excitement. His brother could finally transmute without the use of a circle, an achievement that they adored from their teacher. It was what drew them in, and now here Ed was. Able to clap his hands and touch something to get what he desired, within reason of course. “That’s amazing!” Al cried out. “You didn’t even use a Transmutation Circle, you can perform alchemy the same way Teacher does!”_

_Ed rose an eyebrow and glanced over to Al. “You can do it too, can’t you?”_

_“Me? No, no way!”_

_“So, you didn’t see it, did you?”_

_Joslyn blinked while crossing her arms over her chest. “See what?” She asked now raising an eyebrow at him._

_The boy’s eyes shifted to the tip of the automail blade while mumbling quietly. When letting out a quiet ‘nevermind’ a wrench suddenly went flying in Ed’s direction, slamming right into his skull. His look shifted from wonder to pain as he fell straight to the ground while holding the place where he got hit. On the patio Winry and Wynter stood, Winry holding a look of anger while Wynter held a shocked feature. “Hey you!” Winry screamed to Ed. “Don’t mess up my automail! Do you know how hard I worked on that!”_

_Ed lifted his head and shot a glare at the Rockbell sister. Trying to force himself back onto his feet, Joslyn helped him stand but being careful not to accidentally cut her hand on Ed’s automail blade. “If it’s half as hard as you throw a wrench I’d but surprised! For real, you can try acting more like a girl and less like a gearhead…”_

_Winry’s face flushed with anger now looking away from the three siblings. “If you think I’m a gearhead, that’s fine but you’d better get used to it! ‘Cause as long as you’re wearing my automail you’re stuck with this gearhead whether you like it or not!” She scolded. Behind her Wynter quietly corrected her sister when saying it was just her automail._

_The realization had finally struck him, that Winry was correct in the sense that he would have to deal with her random strings of anger. It was much to Ed’s dislike and Al and Joslyn’s delight._

_-_

_Quite some time had passed since Roy heard from any of the Elrics, he knew that they would come, but it was only a matter of when. Yet the day finally came. The State Alchemy Entrance Exam. People from far and wide to test their luck and try to become a State Alchemist, or a dog of the military as it’s been called on the streets. Ed trying to become a State Alchemist brought some attention, but none of the attention was as grand as that of the Fϋhrer’s. In fact he went out of his way to see a portion of Ed’s exam._

_Upon seeing Edward, not even a brow was raised by Fϋhrer Bradley unlike the other observers. But his attention was caught onto Ed’s automail arm. “Would that be a steel prosthetic?” He asked._

_Ed glanced down to the metal limb now reaching up and rubbing his wrist. “It happened during the Eastern Conflict.” He lied._

_“I see… So you had a rough time in Ishval hmm?” Without even confirming his own lie Ed leaned over to one of his escorts asking who this man was. Naturally the man was shocked and quietly but briskly explained who the eye-patched man was. Ed furrowed his brows and his lips bent into a smug frown. “Thank you, you may proceed with the examination.”_

_“Do you need something to draw Transmutation Circles with?”_

_In the middle of one of the men’s question, Ed just clapped his hands in return. “No it’s okay, I got it.” He assured now clapping his hands together and setting them onto the ground. Once more a blue light peered out of the ground around him sending everyone into a state of disbelief. Even Roy wasn’t aware of Ed’s abilities. With ease Ed started to pull a spear out from the ground, not even touching the tail of the spear until the tip of the blade was formed._

_“My, that is quite something isn’t it?”_

_Keeping his cool Ed charged in Bradley’s direction with the blade pointing right at his bare neck. All the soldiers pulled out their guns and started to point them at Ed even after he quickly stopped right before the spear met with Bradley’s neck. The only two people who weren’t tense was Edward and the Fϋhrer who was surprisingly relaxed. “You know, there’s some people who would see this as a good way to assassinate a VIP. In the future you might want to rethink the way you conduct these examinations.” Ed stated._

_Just by a flick of his wrist, Bradley called off the men and their guns. The men straightened themselves out and pointed their guns back to the ceiling before stuffing the gun back into their respective holders. Meanwhile Ed lifted the spear and pulled it to his side away from the leader of Amestris. Bradley’s smile grew. “That’s good, you clearly have nerves of steel young man. But, I say you have much to learn about the world.” He stated while walking off. While the Fϋhrer’s back was turned the whole blade of the spear slid off the tail of the weapon and plopped onto the ground. Ed looked down and gasped in shock at the discovery. When lifting his head once more he saw that Bradley’s blade was out suddenly as he waved to the boy. “You put on a show my naive alchemist! Good luck with the rest of your exam!”_

_Ed’s jaw dropped upon seeing the gleaming sword that was held out beside him. “W-When did he draw his sword…?”_

_-_

_Back home things were quiet, the loudest thing around was the very wind. Softly blowing a nice breeze that seemed to relax both Winry and Wynter. Possibly Ed and Joslyn as well if they were present in Resembool. Ed was off taking his exam and Joslyn watched over him while he did so. Winry stood in the grassy fields with Wynter and Al sitting close by. “I wonder if Ed is doing okay on his exam…” Wynter mumbled now pressing her cheek onto her knees._

_“Say Al?” Winry started._

_“Yeah? What is it?”_

_“If Ed does become a State Alchemist does that mean he’ll be going away?”_

_Al’s gaze drifted away from Winry and tried his hardest to avoid Wynter’s peering gaze. He just had to look forward into the grassy green distance. “Yeah.” The boy replied._

_-_

_Everyone who took the test just saw a child playing an adult’s game doing something that is reserved for true men. No one who took the test along with him expected to lose their chance of a certification to Edward Elric. A twelve year old with metal limbs and a mouth on him. Yet Roy called him into his office to give him the very symbol of the dog of the military. A silver pocket watch with a lion crest on the top which rested in a wooden box with purple silk sheets. “The Silver Pocket Watch will serve as proof of your State certification.” Roy stated showing off the watch and then pulling out a piece of white paper from a manilla envelope. “This envelope contains your certificate of appointment. Huh, and it would seem our Fϋhrer isn’t without a sense of irony.”_

_Ed rose an eyebrow at Roy’s statement. “And why is that?”_

_“Nothing.” Roy quickly responded with. He extended the paper to Ed so that it was closer to him. “Anyway, congratulations you’ve officially become a dog of the military.”_

**This official document certifies that the nation of Amestris, Prefecture of the Generalissimo appoints the name FULLMETAL to EDWARD ELRIC, in the name of Führer King Bradley.**

**The State Alchemist shall follow all orders and policies of the military.**

**A research assessment examination shall be held once every year in the case that the State Alchemist does not show signs of progress in his research as result of the examination, he shall be discharged from the services of State Alchemist.**

**The State Alchemist is entitled to the use of ample research funds, unrestricted access to classified documents, access to various governmental facilities, and a military rank equal to that of a ‘‘major’’.**

**King Bradley**

_When reading the first paragraph of the Elric didn’t even bother reading the rest, he lifted the paper upwards and gave Roy a weird look. He repeated his state given name with an eyebrow raised. Roy smirked slightly and linked his hands together on the table. “That’s right, along with their commission, State Alchemists also receive a code name. Officially you will be known as the Fullmetal Alchemist.” He explained._

_Ed held a ear to ear grin when hearing the name being said by someone else. “I like that, it’s nice and intimidating. I think that’ll suit me just fine!”_

_-_

The train charged onwards, the sun rising in the light blue sky and beyond the location Ed, Al, and Yuki were heading for. While Al remained wide awake the State Alchemists were fast asleep, prepared to wake up either if close or in the town of Liore. In the distance there it was, the quaint town with the church being it’s most defining feature, standing out from the barely lit sky. Al leaned over to Ed and Yuki now shaking them awake softly. “Hey, both of you. Wake up, we’re almost there.” Al whispered softly so that they could hear.

Their eyes peeled open and they saw it, a church tall like a tower watching over the townspeople with a keen eye. “So this is Liore…?” Yuki asked with a quiet yawn while stretching her arms and legs to the best of her abilities.

Could it really be there? The key to finally getting Al his body back?

Ed’s eyebrows knitted together as his eyes remained locked on the town, set on the prize. Never had he been so prepared to get through this and get Al his body back. It was so close, he could almost taste the reward on his tongue. “The Philosopher’s Stone.”


	3. City of Heresy

Liore, a quaint little town with it’s most apparent building being a church with a bell tower that soared for the skies. No doubt these people were very religious. Worshiping the God of the Sun, Leto with their divine leader Father Cornello. Upon the arrival in Liore Ed, Al, and Yuki went to a small outdoor bar to order food and waters, minus Edward who went for orange juice. During the time of rest the radio above to play, a religious broadcast of Father Cornello speaking of Leto with a smooth but heavy voice. Instead of peaking their interests, the three continued to eat. The bartender rose an eyebrow slightly at them. “So what are you guys, like street performers or somethin’?” He questioned placing a hand on his hip.

Ed spat out his drink and shot the man a dirty look. “Seriously, do we look like street performers to you?”

“Yeah, it’s why I asked.” To prevent an argument from ensuing Ed let out a huff in annoyance now announcing his departure in which Yuki and Al would follow. Both Yuki and Ed slipped down from the stools they sat on while Al could just merely stand and be able to step out. However, the top of Al’s helmet crashed onto the ceiling and the radio from above fell to the ground. “Hey! Easy I didn’t mean nothing by it!” The man yelled.

Yuki raised her hands in defense with a tiny nervous smile. She said, “We apologize, don’t worry we’ll fix it up for you.”

The man frowned and rested his hand on his forehead. “How is that? It’s smashed to hell!”

“Watch and learn Gramps,” Ed told him with a sly smirk.

People surrounded the scene watching as Al yanked the chalk out with a sigh and drew a transmutation circle around the ruins of the radio. Now standing tall Al’s hands towered over the circle. “Alright, here it goes!” He chirped now releasing a blue light, a cloud of smoke fluttered into the air.

As the thick air began to fade away the radio could be seen, completely repaired. It even played the religious broadcast through the gasping crowd. Ed grinned and pointed to the radio. “There! See, how’s that?” The eldest brother questioned in bold cocky voice.

The man stared at the radio with awe, it automatically made him jump to conclusion that this was somehow related to the God whom he worshiped. He gasped a little before turning back to the three. “It’s amazing! It’s a miracle! You’ve been touched by the sun god just like Father Cornello!”

“Touched by who…?” Yuki mumbled quietly.

“It’s not a miracle.” Al corrected with a smile popping from his voice. “It’s alchemy.”

One of the townsmen straightened himself out and looked over to Ed, Al, and Yuki saying that they must be alchemists if they can do alchemy like this. Quickly Ed stuck up his nose and his grin grew in size as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Then maybe you’ve heard of us! We’re the Elric Brothers and this is Yuki Mustang!” Ed stated with a voice that seemed to be larger than life.

“The Elric Brothers and Yuki Mustang you say…?”

“I do know those names.”

“The Fullmetal Alchemist and the Resonant Alchemist, Edward Elric and Yuki Mustang, is that right?”

A large crowd swept over Yuki and Al, berating them both with questions about alchemy, their job, anything that could be asked was pulled out into the air. Yet all the while Ed thought he was gaining some attention, which to his foolish arrogance he gained none. Both Al and Yuki tried to lightly press people away calling over the flood of questions in the best way they could. It was finally Al who managed to get their attention. “N-No it’s not me!” He cried now making the people go silent. Everyone grew quiet as they all shifted their eyes to Ed’s close eyed smirk.

In the middle of the crowd, a man let out a tiny scoff. “What? You mean it’s the little guy?”

The question made Ed’s face contort with anger as he unleashed all of hell upon these poor townsmen. During so, Ed screamed out another short rant along with daring them to call him short right to his face to which no one wanted to attempt. Meanwhile, Al and Yuki stared at him, no doubt feeling highly embarrassed by Ed’s impulsive actions. Slowly Ed began to find his composure, he heaved out heavy breaths, his body still appearing tense.

Yuki shook her head with a sigh and strode over to the bartender. The poor man was traumatized but there was no denying that the three came to work, and work they shall. She raised a small kind smile and asked, “So what can you tell us about this broadcast?”

The bartender jolted slightly and stared up at Yuki with still bewildered eyes. Surely he was still startled by Ed’s loud burst of energy. “T-That’s our leader, Father Cornello!”

“We were lost until he came into town, teaching us all the ways of the Sun God, Leto!”

“He grants eternal life to the souls of the faithful!”

“He can even resurrect the dead! His miracles are proof that what he says is true!"

Upon hearing of the many things the townspeople said Cornello could do so much with his god-like abilities intrigued the three alchemists. Ed was sealed inside the mission as soon as it was claimed that Cornello could do something so extreme as reviving the deceased. His eyes narrowed slightly on the townspeople. “So this guy is claiming he can bring the dead back to life, now that’s something I gotta see.” He stated in a monotone voice which shadowed his interest in the topic.

-

The town square rained with tiny pink flowers, filling the air with sweet smelling pollen and staining said air for days with the scent. In front of the cheering and crying crowd stood a man. The man lacked hair on his head, color in his clothes. Yet his kind smile was what made up for all those missing factors. A flower swayed lightly into his left hand which met with his right to create a jagged and uneven circle. Bringing the crowd into a loud roar of approval, a red light shot through the air blinding everyone in the process. When opening his hands Cornello revealed a large crystallized flower with pink petals, yellow beads as the center, and transparent stems. Once more the crowd cried in delight, possibly being the loudest they have ever been.

In the back stood Ed, Al, and Yuki watching this display with criticism and low disapproving frowns. Both Yuki and Ed were forced to stand on their suitcases to see the display, but there was a chance that they didn’t even need to see the event to confirm that Cornello, the miracle giving father was nothing more but a fraud. Ed released a small scoff in response to seeing this large crystal flower. “So that’s it huh? What do ya think?”

“There’s nothing to think, that’s alchemy,” Yuki responded still keeping her eyes on the rather pathetic sight.

“But he’s ignoring the laws of Equivalent Exchange. He should have only been able to transmute that flower into an object of equal mass.”

“And he’s changing organic matter into inorganic matter,” Al added on. “He shouldn’t be allowed to do that unless…”

Ed nodded in response searching the man as quickly as he could. “Yeah, unless…” He trailed off meeting eyes with a tiny ring on the middle finger of his left hand. A sly smirk played onto his Ed’s lips and his eyes began to narrow with desire. “Bingo.”

-

Quite some time had passed since the religious gathering had ended, the town circle returned to its calm atmosphere as people went back to what they were doing prior to the tiring meetup. Ringing loud enough that people from even past the town, bells rang out signaling the newest hour of the day. From the inside of the church sat a girl at the end of the aisle, praying to the large statue before her which supposedly resembled the God Leto. She was a tall girl with black hair, her bangs dyed so they were a darker shade of pink, soft white skin that was a touch tanner than her dress, and dark eyes that could almost be identified as purple. An innocent girl deserving of an equally innocent name, Rose. “Oh merciful God, please hear me, hear my prayer, I beg of you. Please bring him back.” She whispered, quietly praying so that only she could hear.

All while her soft mumbles Ed, Al, and Yuki strode inside the large room flooded with benches meaning business. Ed had his hands in pockets, still holding the sly smirk on his face only now his eyes danced with a playful energy. “So, this is the all mighty Leto?” He questioned.

Rose pulled herself back to her feet and laced her hands together. “Welcome, are you three interested in Letoism?”

“‘Fraid not,” Yuki answered, “I don’t think we’re exactly religious.”

“Well, I’m sorry to hear that. To know God is to know hope. If we believe in divine grace and through all things are possible; if you believed…” Rose trailed off making Ed snap his head up to listen to her words. “I’m sure Leto would bless you and make you grow taller!”

Ed stormed for her in an angered flurry but made no effort to reach her for both Yuki and Al grabbed onto Ed’s arms to hold him back. He let out an angered inquiry wondering what Rose meant by her joking words. While Al spoke saying that Rose was only trying to help, Yuki pulled Ed down so that he was sitting down. Thankfully the two of them prevented a relapse of what happened earlier. Finally cooling himself down Ed placed one leg over the other and leaned back on his seat. “What about bringing the dead back to life? Do you believe that’s possible too?” Ed asked only to receive a dreamy ‘yes’ in response. He sighed now digging into his pocket to pull out a brown leather notebook and flipping it to the perfect page. The very page he had to pull out countless times before. It’s a miracle he hasn’t gotten the contents of the said page down to every detail. “Water, thirty-five liters. Carbon, twenty kilograms. Ammonia, four litters. Lime, one-point-five kilograms. Phosphorus, eight-hundred grams. Salt, two-hundred-fifty grams. Saltpeter, one-hundred grams. And various other trace elements.”

While Rose listened she kept finding herself getting lost more and more after each element, each number, growing a tad bit flustered from the sudden splash of knowledge. She expected both of Ed’s partners to be phased by the spewing of elements and numbers but Yuki’s face was stone hard already used to the ordeal. Ed slapped the notebook shut and slipped it back into the pocket in his jacket. “That list represents the complete chemical makeup of the human body for the average adult. It’s been calculated to the last microgram but still, there’s never been a reported case of successfully creating a human life. And you’re telling me something modern science can’t do, you can do with prayer?”

“Lend thy voice to God!” Rose cried out. “And the prayers of the faithful shall be answered!”

“Did I mention all those ingredients I read off down at the market a kid could buy every one of them with the spare change in his pocket? As it turns out, humans are pretty cheap.”

“No! That’s blasphemy, people are… We’re all children of God! Created in his image!”

Ed grinned and let out a chuckle at how easily he could get under her skin. Typically he didn’t have so much fun turning arguments into mush, but this was one of those rare instances where he was having a ball. “You have to understand, alchemists are scientists. We don’t believe in improbable concepts like creators or gods. We observe the physical laws that govern this world to try and learn the truth. It’s ironic really that through the application of science we have in many ways been given the power to play God ourselves.” He stated releasing small snickers while he spoke. Yuki turned to him with a frown smeared on her features, not enjoying the game he was playing. No doubt, he was toying with her.

Rose glared at Ed, her face growing red with anger. Her fists tightened and a fire was ignited in her eyes. “So you’re putting yourself on the same level as God! That’s sheer arrogance!” She spat.

Yuki stood between the two of them and shook her head. “Pardon my partner. There’s a myth a friend of mine who is also in the military enjoyed, it matches this exact topic of trying to reach the levels of God. In this myth there was a hero who flew on wings of wax, he believed with these wings he could touch the sun, but when he got too close his wings melted and he fell down to earth with no trace remaining of his existence. Right boys?” After Yuki told the famous tale, Al mumbled both her name and his brother’s. Looking over to Rose, she raised a kind smile hoping to calm down Rose after her partner decided to rile her up so. “We apologize, this is quite difficult to ask now but do you think Father Cornello could speak with two nonbelievers and an arrogant scientist?”

The request made Rose’s eyes glow with delight, taking Yuki’s kindness over Ed’s rather harsh and blunt behavior. She let out a joyous gasp now slapping her hands together so that the bracelets around her wrist began to jangle. “Of course, that’s wonderful! If anyone could lead you to the creator’s light he can!” When agreeing Yuki smiled even more and nodded.

-

A man along with Rose escorted the alchemists to a large room that held it’s ceiling in the shadows, a hall made up of large pillars, leading up to a stairway that brought people the second level. Brother Cray and Rose lead, Ed, Al, and Yuki down this path that would bring them to Father Cornello. For the most part the travels there were silent until they found their way into the foyer. When opening the door two men in white suits stepped aside so that the stone entryway could allow the group to walk inside. “Father Cornello is a busy man, as you can imagine, but you’re in luck he’s decided to spare a moment for you three,” Cray explained emotionlessly.

Yuki nodded and smiled kindly in response. “Thank you sir, we understand and we’ll try not to take up much of his time.” She assured.

“Good, then it’s agreed.” Cray sneered now reaching into his inner pocket for his gun. “We’ll make this quick.

As the door began to close, Ed looked over his shoulder his gaze looking askance. Catching his attention once more was Cray swiftly turning around to turn his gun both Yuki and Al. The two men crossed their spears so that they blocked Ed’s path and that he couldn’t even imagine retaliating. At least that’s what they thought. Rose gasped in response, she was not facing any danger but felt attacked when a gun was aimed at two people who have shown her nothing but kindness. “Brother Cray, what is this? What do you think you’re doing?” She demanded wanting to move but not daring to take a step closer in fear of getting shot.

“Rose these heathens have come to ensnare and discredit the Father, they’re evil. This is God’s will.”

“Brother Cray…”

Ed let out a huff in annoyance and shot a glare at Brother Cray. He glanced at Yuki who met his gaze and nodded slightly as she slipped her bracelet back on her wrist. “Like you said, let’s make this quick!” The young alchemist yelled out now elbowing the man to his left knocking him down instantly before latching onto the other man’s arm. With ease, he flipped the man over his head and slammed him down to the ground. Cray let out a gasp in shock as Yuki snapped her fingers together sending a shocking pain in his eardrums which was closely followed by being punched in the face by Al. The gun flew out of Cray’s hands and skidded right at Rose’s feet. Rose’s attention shot from the gun to the man Ed elbowed quickly as he began to flee. Ed grabbed a spear that one of the men dropped and fired it in the poor man’s direction. The middle of the pole tripped the man and sent him landing on the ground face first. “Oh yeah, strike!” Ed laughed with amusement.

“What’s this commotion?” A loud voice boomed from the shadows. Looking in the direction of the voice the same hairless man from before stepped into view. Not even bothering to look at who was there he allowed his smile to go from one ear to the next. “Ah, the Fullmetal Alchemist and Resonate Alchemist. Welcome to the home of our sacred order. I must apologize for my disciple’s behavior. It would seem they’ve been misguided.”

Ed squinted at Father Cornello, seeing right through the words. “Okay, let’s say that I believe you weren’t the one guiding them, what next?” He challenged.

“Have you come to learn the ways of Leto?”

“We have some questions for you,” Yuki stated. “Especially over your use of second rate alchemy to deceive your followers.”

Cornello’s face didn’t even take a moment to waver while Rose’s appeared to be taken aback. No one has dared to question his abilities, yet here he was. Knowing how to respond as if he was questioned every day of his life. “My dear girl, I don’t know what you mean! What your doubting eyes see as alchemy are the miracles of the Sun God, Leto.” He stated now cupping his together creating a bright red light to shine through the room. Opening his hands a statue appeared and a dastardly grin simultaneously showed itself. “Look again, could mere alchemy create something from nothing in this way?”

Rose beamed, still dazed by Father Cornello’s rather cheap and lying scheme without even knowing it. The expression on Ed’s face became sour as he rested his right hand on the right side of his head and touching the golden hair. “Yeah, that’s what I didn’t get at first. How can you perform transmutations that ignore the law of Equivalent Exchange?” Ed asked.

“As I said! Because it isn’t alchemy!”

“Then I started to think about it! If you’d somehow managed to acquire a certain object to amplify your alchemy. One that is said to make the impossible possible, that would explain everything.”

“What?”

Glancing back up to Cornello, Yuki fired a low gaze at him. “He’s talking about the Philosopher’s Stone.” Her eyes then met the ring that Ed saw earlier at the gathering and her purple spheres grew to be more attached to the sight. “That ring on your finger, that’s the stone, isn’t it?”

A tense muffled air filled the room, Cornello’s choice to not speak made it apparent that he was being quiet because of secrecy. That would be a mistake he would regret making in the end. Ed smirked and began to step forward, his pounding steps inching closer to Cornello. “I’ve been looking for that.” He snarled.

“The ring is just a ring.” Cornello quickly defended. “I am God’s loyal servant, it is from he alone that I derived my power!”

“Still trying to sell that line huh? If that’s the way you want to play it I guess I’ll have to come up there and beat some truth outta ya!”

His kind smile finally evacuated in order to make room for the booming and rather colorful frown to take control of the situation. “My, you really are the incorrigible heathen aren’t you? Rose dear.” Speaking as if he already knew what he was going to do. Maybe he knew as soon as he was informed of Ed and Yuki’s presence, that this was going to be stuffed under the rug successfully or they wouldn’t leave this alive. Yet how the plan would be carried out was going to be where things really did tend to get, interesting. Rose quietly let out a ‘yes’ in return of his attention towards her. “That gun there beside you, pick it up.” In response, Rose did what she was told but didn’t bother to hide how hesitant she was, praying that he wasn’t going to say what she thought he was going to say.

“Now child, I want you to shoot the Fullmetal and Resonante Alchemists.”

Ed stopped in his tracks and shot his molten gold eyes over to Rose, Al shifting a little at the demand, Yuki being taken aback by the request. The very sentence she dreaded made her skin become pale, her eyes grew large, her hands became clammy and slick with sweat. Swiftly she swallowed hard and allowed herself to tremble. “No… I… Father, I can’t do that.” She stammered.

“I am the Sun God’s chosen emissary! My word is the word of Leto itself!” Cornello exclaimed now narrowing a single eye on Rose. “Shoot them Rose, it’s God’s will.” The poor girl’s trembling grew, but she continued to grip the gun as tightly as she could manage. There was no doubt that she didn’t want to flat out murder anyone and somehow in the name of god didn’t make the idea any more appetizing. All eyes were on Rose as she let out soft whimpers through clenched teeth. “Why hesitate? When you lost your fiance to that tragic accident last year who was it that saved you from the very depths of despair? Have you forgotten?”

“... It was you, Father…”

“That’s right! It was I that took your hand and led you into God's light and do you recall what it was I promised you then!”

“You said if I had faith you’d bring him back to life!” Rose cried out now finally raising the gun in Al’s direction.

Both Al and Yuki let out yells and screams that Al wasn’t a State Alchemist, The Fullmetal Alchemist to be more specific. From behind Ed’s face grew hot with frustration as Rose lifted her head and slowly looked over to Ed just in time for him to begin a signature short rant. He threw his arms in hair while screaming, “Dammit! I’m the Fullmetal Alchemist, it’s not him! It’s me!”

Even Cornello seemed surprised that Al, a giant suit of armor, wasn’t the Fullmetal Alchemist but instead was the angry runt who didn’t know when to stop being blunter than a club. “It’s the short one? You’re kidding!”

Rose finally collected herself and pointed her gun to Ed. He frowned and glared at her with a fiery gaze. A sniffle ruffled out of her nose. “I’m sorry, but I have to do this. I don’t have a choice!” Rose whispered forcing herself not to let her grasp waiver.

Yuki shook her head. “You do have a choice Rose, he’s lying to you.” She argued.

“You’re wrong, I’ve seen his miracles! Father Cornello will bring him back to life I have faith!”

“You don’t understand-”

“Fine, then shoot.” Ed spat lowly.

Silence filled the air when Ed dared her to shoot at them. Even Rose was taken aback by the sudden demand, scared to pull the trigger but more scared to disappoint Father Cornello. Soft whimpers filled the air, the jangles of her bracelet danced into her ears as the jittering shaking returned, pulling the gun closer for a moment. A cry ripped from her throat as she pulled the gun forward and brought herself to pull the trigger. The bullet fired out of the barrel and dashed into Al’s helmet, knocking it off as he fell to the ground with a surprised yell. Yuki and Ed called out for Al and made their way to see if he was okay. Rose grew pale, the gun slipping from her hands before she slammed onto each of her cheeks and letting out a scream in fright. Father Cornello smiled emotionlessly at the ‘success’. “Good, God Leto is pleased you have done well my child. Now pick up the gun and shoot the other two as well.” He ordered while opening a narrowed eye at the State Alchemists.

Yuki picked up Al helmet as he flipped himself back up so that he was now sitting up. “Haven’t you made her do enough already?” Al scolded.

Cornello and Rose stared at Al’s walking empty armor in horror, the already shaken girl finding herself flabbergasted. She swallowed hard and began to shake her head. “B-But your head, I-I thought you were-” Rose helplessly stammered.

“Easy there, you have nothing to worry about he’s pretty solid,” Yuki reassured softly.

Al knelt down showing off the empty armor with a blood seal stained onto the inside. The sight only made Rose grow paler and more terrified of the three alchemists. Without a word, Ed pulled the helmet out of Yuki’s hands and handed it back over to the boy trapped in the bulky armor. Cornello forced himself to collect his shock and back up into a wall. “An empty suit of armor that walks and speaks! Do you still doubt it Rose! This unholy thing is an abomination, evil of this kind should be purged!” He yelled now pulling a lever sticking out from the wall, releasing a loud rumbling. Everyone dashed their heads in the direction of the noise, unaware of what would come for the trio next. Knowing as much as they do about Father Cornello and this whole church it could really be anything. From the shadows a Chimera with a dominant lion’s body grumbled and roared out into the open air, letting out deadly growls. Seeing such a beast made Cornello grin like a madman. “And I believe my Chimera should be up to the task!”

Yuki and Ed rose an eyebrow, glancing at each other before turning their eyes back to the unnatural beast. “So this is the sort of thing you do with a Philosopher’s Stone, now that’s just twisted.” Being smart, Rose gave herself a good amount of space between her and the fight that was sure to ensue between the Chimera and whoever was up for fighting it. Naturally, Ed was the one who wanted to go against the beast. He sighed now clapping his hands together while stepping forward. “Anyway, looks like I’ll need a weapon,” Ed stated now setting his hands on the ground, creating a glowing blue light that filled the room and merely gracing itself on Cornello’s face.

The ground around the blue sparks of light shifted within itself, creating a crater that was pulling out an intricate spear from the very floor. As the light disappeared Ed grabbed the spear and slipped into a battle stance. Cornello let out a shocked gasp when realizing that the transmutation that just occurred didn’t even need a circle. That Edward Elric, The Fullmetal Alchemist, really didn’t a transmutation circle nor did he use one. Yet, Cornello didn’t seem to lose confidence that this battle would be won believing that the Chimera could cut through even iron. And he wasn’t wrong. The lion Chimera did end up cutting through the spear and into Ed’s left leg, shreds of black leather fluttered onto the ground. However, Ed wasn’t even wavered by the action, only letting out a smirk with a chuckle. “You shredded my pants.” He replied with ease before kicking the Chimera aside. “I guess those claws don’t do so good against steel.”

“Bite him you stupid beast!”

It charged for Ed letting out a roar now biting into Ed’s right arm just like its master commanded. Low growls grumbled out of it’s bared teeth, trying to rip Ed’s arm right off only to not be able to pull away. A dark glare gleamed in Ed’s eyes as he tightened his fist in order to find an easy strength to hold the lion back. “You like that kitty? Go on, get a good taste!” Ed yelled now kicking the beast off him once more.

As the creature fell Yuki snapped her fingers together to fire a stinging pitch into its ears which aided in completely disabling it. Cornello stared in utter shock, not sure what to think about this defeat. His eyes then wandered to Ed’s right arm, his left leg, his own brother, trying to piece together the Fullmetal Alchemist to the best of his ability. “Your arm, a brother trapped in armor!” Then grinning when seeing the answer start to show itself, the undeniable truth that was being unveiled before his very eyes. “I see it’s all becoming clear now! You did it, didn’t you? The one thing even the most novice alchemist knows is forbidden!”

Ed narrowed his eyes now tearing away at his sleeves, completely removing his jacket and right side of his top. Sleek steel glimmered in the light, glowing brightly with each movement. Moving his arm upwards to almost reach out for Cornello. “Why don’t you come down here and try me, I’ll show you real quick who the novice is!”

The sight of this was stained in Rose’s eyes, she couldn’t tear away from his automail reaching over to Cornello. She couldn’t move, she didn’t want to move. When Cornello began to address her, she jumped now startled. “Rose, this is the price of their sin, these fools attempted human transmutation! The greatest taboo for any alchemist! In their arrogance they tried to bring someone dead back to life!”

_“...a hero who flew on wings of wax, he believed with these wings he could touch the sun, but when he too close his wings melted and he fell down to earth with no trace remaining of his existence.”_  

“O-Oh no…”

Ed lowered his arm, tightening his fist and lowering his eyes. “This is what happens whenever you try to play god or whatever you call it. Take a good look Rose, is  _this_ what you want?”

Letting out a laugh through his closed grin, Father Cornello stepped back into the light to get a better look of them. He stook up his nose, feeling as if he has found a treasure of sorts that he wanted to do nothing but brag about. And no doubt, that’s what he did. “So this is the great Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric? Not even half a man, hell not even half a boy!”

Yuki’s eyes grew dark with a glare as she tightened her fists into two tiny balls of flesh. A trace of thought didn’t even cross her mind as she began to stomp closer only to be grabbed by Al. “And what do you know! You’re nothing but a phony who can’t do anything without a Philosopher’s Stone!” She screamed writhing with anger, ready to tear down towers brick by brick for even insulting her friend.

“Father, we just want you to hand over the stone before you get hurt!”

Father Cornello let up a proud smirk with a sly scoff. Raising his cane to his hands he gripped the material with a mighty hold. His booming voice continuing to echo over Al’s as he asked kindly for the stone unlike his elder brother. “ Don’t be absurd! Why? So you can use it for yourself? Please,” A red light began to glow from his finger, engulfing the cane entirely. “if you fools are so eager to play God, then perhaps I should send you to meet him instead!” Cornello finished as the cane was morphed into a large machine gun.

Placing the deadly weapon on his right shoulder he then began to fire away at the group not caring in the slightest to if Rose was injured in the crossfire. Dust clouded the air but not soon enough for blue sparks to appear and dance out of the cloud. Cornello held his fire, watching the particles fly into the open air to never be seen again but saw a riddled wall where Ed was before while Al, Yuki, and Rose were moved away from the bullet’s path. “Nah, me and God, we don’t get along too well. Even if I went he’d probably just send me right back here!” Ed retorted with a grin that was larger in life both physically and in his voice. A very thing that made Cornello’s face contort with frustration.

Yuki shot an affirmative gaze to Al and began to make her way to a wall. Without even warning her, Al scooped Rose into his large arms and followed Yuki to her destination with haste. Yet Cornello wouldn’t let such a thing slide so he began to fire away at the three nonstop. Rose let out a cry of distress as she curled up tighter within herself in hopes of avoiding a gunshot wound from a man that she trusted. “This way!” Yuki called out as Ed gritted his teeth with a clap of his hands that ended up on the wall.

Once more blue sparks illuminated the darkened room, seeping through the walls and into the hallway just outside. A large door morphed into shape, then being pushed open and into a poor guard’s head by Ed’s hands. Ignoring the injured man and the startled men the group fled down the hallways and out of sight. Cornello stepped out of the room with his face growing red with anger, stomping out into sight with a face of fury, letting out a screaming order to go after the four.

Upon reaching the end of the hall a flurry of men blocked their path containing spears as their only way of defense. How mindlessly unprepared they were. The men misjudged them all, underestimated Ed, Al, and Yuki. Three of the men said that there was nothing they could do with their unarmed state with a sly and demeaning tone. Yuki rolled her eyes and prepared herself, slipping her fingers in for a snap while Ed let out some laughs when clapping his hands together and transforming his arm into the famous automail blade.  All of those men wouldn’t make that mistake again as their eardrums were blasted and they were beaten black and blue by Ed’s rough behavior.

From one of the turns of the hall, there stood three men, holding spears much like the men from before. A man in a black suit looked over to the other two men with a stern expression. “Don’t go easy on them because they’re kids!” He exclaimed now turning his body forward.

Before he could fully turn back around Al jumped upwards slamming the bottom of his foot into the man’s head. Rose and the two other men cried out as the black suited man crashed onto the ground. Ed, Al, and Yuki used the shock of the men to run away, fleeing for a moment and out of sight.

-

Finally things had grown quiet, men were searching for the three alchemists that ran off with the church girl, but still, things were tranquil. During the chaos, Ed and Al managed to hatch up a scheme that would have the whole town of Liore seeing the truth of Cornello and not what he wanted them to see. Rose stayed with Al and Yuki on the roof, filling out their end of the plan first shrouded in a silent noise. Al removed a bell from the bell tower and set it aside for later use. “What do you think of Cornello now Rose? He just opened fire. He didn’t care if you were in the way.” Al inquired but still kept focused on the work he was doing.

“But… That’s because…” Rose started but then grew quiet. “What he said back there, was true…”

“We’re not evil. All we wanted was to see our mom’s smile again, but our transmutation failed. What we made, wasn’t even human. We learned our mistake the hard way, people don’t come back from the dead… Not ever.” The wind blew at Rose, sending the locks of black hair off of her shoulders or out of her face, making her white dress dance in the breaths of air. She stared at Al with wide eyes, listening to his words but not wanting to believe a single word. “Alchemy is based on the law of Equivalent Exchange, the price of even a failed Human Transmutation is enormous. It cost my brother his left leg, our sister refused to take part in the transmutation, and it cost me my whole body.” Al reached upwards and pulled the helmet off his armor to show off the lone seal made of blood. The very thing that held Al onto this world. “Do you see it? My brother drew that with his own blood. His leg had been taken, he was bleeding, I can’t imagine the pain he was in. But through all of that, he still gave up his right arm to transmute my soul and bound me to the suit of armor.”

Al took a moment to pause so he could put the helmet back onto where it needed to be. Quietly he asked for Yuki’s help to make the transmutation circle in which she obliged holding no thoughts against it. Perhaps it was to get other things off her mind. “Now, I just want to help him get his body back to the way it was. He wants to find a way to get me to normal too, it won’t be easy. We might even get killed along the way. But that’s the path we choose, all we can do is keep moving.”

“B-But…” Rose stammered resulting in the halt of Yuki and Al. “Father Cornello said… He said he could do it, he promised me. Just because you and your brother failed that doesn’t mean… It doesn’t mean he will!”

-

Question was, where was Ed in this whole scheme? Easy. He served as some way to lure both Cornello and what he knows out into the open. Ed took a seat on Cornello’s desk in his office his automail leg looped over his knee with a look of anticipation. A sight that Cornello almost completely overlooked. Cornello stopped in his tracks before running into the office. “There you are you infernal brat!”

The State Alchemist smirked at Cornello’s entrance. “Look, can we just cut the crap and talk here? All I want are straight answers about the stone.” He stated before sitting up tall with a devious expression crawling up his face. “Tell me what I need to know and I’ll be on my way, or we could get the military involved.”

Cornello growled lowly, his face scrunching together as if he had eaten something incredibly sour. Stiffly, he stood tall before slamming the door shut behind him in order to keep any passing person for listening in. Regardless Cornello’s reign was coming to an end. At least if this goes according to plan. Placing his cane back on the ground he stood tall while closing his eyes. “Ask your questions,” Cornello muttered with a frown and a glare passing through his eyelids.

Ed smirked and leaned forward with his palm resting against his chin. “You can do anything with the Philosopher’s Stone, right? So why waste all that power performing phony miracles?”

A very underestimated question on Cornello’s part. He saw it to be very simple with an almost obvious answer. Besides, he could tell Ed his intentions and then get rid of him as planned, only now it would be to keep his plans in the dark. Cornello smirked boldly. “Because with each miracle I can attract new believers to the order. Believers who would lay down their lives for my sake! I’m slowly building an army, a legion of holy warriors unafraid to die! In a few more years I’ll be ready to unleash this mindless horde upon the world! And I’ll use the Philosopher’s Stone to tear this country apart! Who knows, I might even carve out a slice for you!” Immediately breaking into a long string of laughter. Laughter that Ed ended up taking part in, leaning backward and letting out a look of pure amusement that took over his features. “Wait! What are you laughing about?”

“I knew it!” Ed chuckled now raising up a power switch with the handle lifted up to the word ‘ON’ in big red letters. “You really are a novice aren’t you?”

Cornello’s eyes narrowed on the switch in his hands, almost not believing what he saw. Lowering his gaze with his head he saw a microphone at his feet. His head raised as the ‘priest’ began to put two and two together at last. A loud booming gasp jumped from his throat as his jaw nearly slammed onto the ground.

-

From the outside of the church, Al had lifted a makeshift speaker over his shoulder to get the broadcast to those who weren’t close by to a radio. Beside him was Yuki who covered her ears from the loud and incoherent yelling from the speaker while Rose listened with wide eyes that were the size of bowls. Yuki looked over to Rose, holding out a soft gaze. “He lied to you… He lied to everyone…” She whispered softly to a crumbling Rose. Anyone could easily pinpoint the moment Rose’s world crashed to her feet for the second time in her life.

“W-Why you! How long- How long was that been on?”

“From the start. Your ‘believers’ heard every word.”

“How could you!”

-

The cane was lifted from the ground, the other end rising to the wall. Fists tightened along with Cornello’s features. Without a doubt there was no way to fix the mess Ed made, it served him right though. He underestimated Ed, Al, and Yuki because of their young age which was a mistake that he couldn’t repair afterward. “You’ll pay dearly for this!” Cornello screeched as he placed his hand over the cane creating a cluster of sparks glowing red.

On Ed’s end he ran closer, his automail arm glowing with the battling blue sparks and slashing through the large gun that Cornello made from the cane once more. “Just face it, you’re outclassed here!”

Half of the barrel landed behind Ed, creating a loud pounding that broke the silence between both Ed and Cornello. The False Priest snarled past his gritted teeth now placing what remained of the gun on his shoulder. “I am without rival!” He argued now placing his ringed hand the weapon releasing red once more.

Holding no other thoughts against his actions, Ed moved back with a flip of his body. From the desk, he watched the transmutation from a distance. Unlike the other transmutations, the light grew to be brighter, completely washing over the room and making Ed unable to see what happened for quite some time. It wasn’t until the light suddenly died that the rebound that had taken place was seen. The weapon was gone, but then mixed and morphed into Cornello’s arm with strings of black cloth flying into sight. Cornello’s limb was mostly crusted with black, wires and cords growing from something that used to be his skin, sharp pipes sticking out of limb one even replacing his ring finger. “A rebound?” Ed mumbled.

“N-No! I won’t be disgraced like this!” Cornello yelled as the red sparks grew to be more apparent. He hunched his body over, his back curving into an ungodly shape, his face growing sinister as the red overpowered him so much that shadows colored his face making him appear to be more chilling. “Now boy, behold the chosen emissary of the Sun God, Leto!” The once trained voice to be warming became grizzly and deep with venom as Cornello grew into an unbelievable size. And all Edward could do was watch.

-

Not a single soul stood in the altar and given the looming battle approaching it was considered a blessing. The room was graced with a calming silence only to be abruptly cut off by the crash of a beastly Cornello slamming into the empty room, locked into a battle with the Fullmetal Alchemist. Despite the intimidating size of Cornello, Ed managed to battle against Cornello with ease. Constantly dodging attacks every time one came close. For example, Cornello bringing his fist down to where Ed stood only to meet with the ground when Ed would use flips in order to miss the possible life threatening strike. In return, however, a fist met with Ed in which he managed to block with his automail blade. “My word is the divine word of God himself! My fist is the almighty fist of judgment!” Cornello preached even in his rather unholy form. Almost as if a very demon tried to convince a human to in believing some bogus story.

Ed rose an eyebrow at the statement. “Oh yeah? Fist of God huh?” He pushed the fist away and ran for a tall statue in the front of the room, watching the area like a blind guardian. Clapping his hands together Ed exclaimed that if Cornello held so much desire for the fist of God that he could have it. As he placed his hands on the stone statue, blue strings of light danced their way up to the statue’s closed hand. That very fist opened up and stretched down where Cornello stared up with enlarged eyes. Not given enough time to react he was fired to the center of the room with a cry as a cloud of dust shrouded over the room.

From the feet of the statue of Leto, Ed watched with a fiery gaze as the cloud began to rise up to the ceiling. Right at the knuckles of the fist Cornello laid sprawled on the flood, shrunken down to his true human form holding his destroyed arm, his jaw tight with pain. Edward stormed to Cornello, grabbing his face with both of his hands and slammed their foreheads together sending pain racking through Cornello’s skull. “Shut up! Just give me the Philosopher’s Stone!” Ed demanded as Cornello hid his face behind the only human palm he had left showing the tiny red orb on his ring lose its glow. It’s power. The stone dropped down to the ground, cracking at the contact and withering away to dust. His golden irises couldn’t tear away from where the stone was before, large with disbelief. “W-What the hell? The stone? It’s supposed to be perfect material, how did it just break like that?”

“I-I don’t know! I don’t know anything about it! Spare me, please! I was wrong, please I beg you!”

“It’s a damn fake.” Ed spat as he began to stand not even feeling enough energy as of right now to scream or glare at Cornello. As he stared Cornello continued to spew out helpless and pathetic pleas to be spared. “You mean we went through all of this? Risked our lives for this one possible chance, and it’s a fake?”

Nervously Cornello laughed and looked aside. “So, hehe, what about me?”

The distraught expression on Ed’s face shattered upon hearing Cornello speak. Ed jolted back into an energetic state. He had suddenly gained the energy to glare and clench his fists in an almost threatening manner to Cornello. “I don’t what you do! Just get out of here!” He screeched in outrage. It was that outrage that sent Cornello crawling out of sight and never to be seen again by Edward Elric.

-

A long and rather disappointing day was beginning to come to a close as the sun was setting, the sky forming into a lovely orange color. Sun sets like this made the marble of the church illuminate with a beautiful glow. A beauty that would only draw in chaos that would break through the church and leave not even a single trace of holy symbols. The only option left now was to leave before the storm destroyed the calm with its wind like cries of outrage and rain more deadly than the weapons a town could hold. Yuki, Ed, and Al stood at the foot of the once arrogant establishment with an almost grim shadow looming over their heads. “And what about the stone?” Al questioned with a fragment of hope dangling desperately off his voice. A hope that would be snatched away and crushed with a brick that weighed like a feather at this point.

“Phony, just like him,” Ed muttered with his head lowered. Lightly his fist tapped Al’s breastplate. “I’m sorry Al, for a while there I thought we found a way to get your body back…”

“Give me the Philosopher’s Stone!” Rose’s voice appearing with the demand.

Looking over their shoulders, Ed, Al, and Yuki saw Rose standing a few feet ahead with a gun in her hands. She was trembling as she held the gun arms length away from her, hoping that she wouldn’t have to dirty her hands over an item that they didn’t even have. Al whispered her name softly, like a breath of air. Yuki pressed her lips together and shook her head softly. “It was fake…” The girl mumbled looking askance.

“Besides it’s shattered now.”

Rose’s face grew painfully as she succumbed to anguish. “Liar! You want to keep it for yourself, don’t you? So you can use it on your bodies! That’s right! So you can try to bring your mother back again!”

“You shut up!” Ed barked as Rose’s eyes widen. When his eyes bathed in indescribable despair, those eyes made of gold always seemed to be on fire. Glowing with a determination that never died, even if he were to drop dead where he stood that blistering fire would be railed up. Those very eyes pierced Rose’s saddened eyes, winning the stare off in a heartbeat. “People don’t come back from the dead Rose. Not ever… Not… Ever...”

Dropping to her knees, Rose set the gun on the ground with her hands, staring at the stone floor with tears pooling in her eyes. While she sobbed and mumbled all the promises Cornello made to her in a weak voice. Poor girl, she was thrown head first into the sea of grief, but now she had no piece of land to cling to; Rose was drowning. Finally, the three alchemists moved forward to make their way to the train station and fulfilling their plans to leave before things could go south. “That hope was all I had left! What am I supposed to believe in now?” Ed didn’t even flinch as he walked past her with Al and Yuki following close behind. “Please!”

 

The eldest Elric stopped immediately behind Rose, his eyes locked down with his head held up high. “I can’t tell you that. You have to figure it out. Stand up and walk, keep moving forward. You’ve got two good legs so use ‘em.” He preached, speaking words that he should have heard long ago. Stepping away from her with the two others at his heels. Rose lifted her head as the tears slipped over her lids, streaming down her cheek and trailing down to her neck, unable to let out a single noise. Not even a sob could leave. “You’re strong enough to make your own path.”

-

They were gone. The Elric brothers and Yuki left and took the peace of Liore with them. When the sun finally left leaving a suffocating dark night the town erupted in uncontrollable rage. Fire upon torches, wooden planks made to be clubs, balls of flesh were made of clenched fists, the only noise the town was full of was a chorus of screams from the townspeople. Inside the church, Cornello recovered from the defeat of battle, but still at a lost for the response he should have about the loss of the war. He stumbled into the room where he first encountered the alchemists while holding his deformed arm at the shoulder. “Those damn brats! It’s all ruined, everything I worked for!” Cornello grumbled loudly to himself.

“Yes, all that hard work for nothing. I knew we should have incited a little rebellion.” A voice like velvet emotionlessly replied. The owner of the thick and sultry voice being a tall but busty woman with thick black hair carved from the darkest caves, purple eyes that seemed to dance with danger, gloves that crawled up to her forearm matching her skin tight black dress that showed off a red tattoo on her chest. She leaned against a small, fat and stubby man with a black bodysuit that didn’t even bother to cover up his arms, red markings started at the shoulder and rested at his wrist, and black soulless eyes.

Cornello glared at the two. “You…”

The fatter man tossed aside the slab of meat he was munching upon, being unable to find pleasure in a flesh that was cold and difficult to get good meat from. He looked up at the woman now standing tall with his colorless eyes. “I’m hungry Lust, can I eat the old man? Please, he’s big and fat!”

“Not this one, Gluttony. We don’t want you to give yourself indigestion.” Lust replied leaving Gluttony to pout.

“Now you too?” Cornello exclaimed now pointing a gun at Lust. “Everyone is mocking me! I won’t stand for-”

Stopping him before he could finish, Lust extended her own finger into a sharp needle like dagger and stabbed it right into his forehead. His eyes widen in shock as his life began to slip away from her hands. Lust grinned as Gluttony stood and walked forward to dying body. “I’d say this concludes our business.” The woman stated. The last thing Cornello could focus on was the very tattoo resting above Lust’s breasts. A snake biting it’s own tail was imprinted on her skin, taunting Cornello the very second she pulled her finger away so he could bleed out on the floor. “Just as things were beginning to look promising too… Now I suppose we’ll have to start over from scratch. Father won’t be pleased. In any case, it’s about time we start thinking about our next move.”

Gluttony grabbed Cornello by the back of his head, lifting his contorted face up to his wide grinning mouth. His tongue swirling around the man’s very face, a tongue with the same imprint that his partner had. A snake biting it’s own tail. His jaws tightened on the skull, crushing with no effort and releasing a stomach curdling crunch into the once silent air.


	4. Her First Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING
> 
> THE FOLLOWING CHAPTER CONTAINS ELEMENTS OF GORE, CLAUSTROPHOBIA, AND DEPRESSION.
> 
> PLEASE READ WITH CAUTION AND IF I MISSED AN ELEMENT PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LEAVE A COMMENT OR A MESSAGE.

Eastern City, quite a boring city really but hey, it was where she had to be. It was almost sundown by the time Penelope began to walk home, feeling giddy from the excitement. How long had it been since she was there? Even she didn’t have a solid answer. She was just happy that she could grant herself the time to see the family she had left and even stay there for as long as she would be allowed to. Basque Grand was unpredictable, a leading reason as to why she sees him as a completely despicable human being. Constantly he found a way to pull her away from her family and Yuki to the point where she felt like a complete stranger to them. Sure they were always pleased to see her, but it felt as if she was disconnected from them, falling behind and unable to catch up. 

All the occurrences in her life could have been different, stupidly different. No doubt Penelope saw her actions as unbelievably stupid when she chose to feign ignorance over something so serious. The warning signs were practically screaming at her but still, she refused to listen. She stopped for a moment and lifted her head upwards to look at the sky. “This lifestyle doesn't suit me. I wonder how Jamie would fare like this.” She said to herself before continuing on her way.

_ Penelope Dewitt was from a town in the South called Dublith, she lived with her youngest sister in an orphanage. Their parents didn’t miraculously die, quite the contrary, they’re alive and well. It was the costs of keeping up with two children which were their undoing. A brave move undoubtedly, for that Penelope never bothered to go on an obsessive search for her parents. All she wanted was to make sure that Jamie was well. The Dewitts were clannish, sticking with each other and no one else. _

_ It was their advantage but their downfall. _

_ Both girls would sit together in a library, reading and gawking at the contents of each book going from scientific to historical. However, at some point, Jamie disappeared within the maze of bookshelves. Penelope lifted her head from a book covering the topic of the various medical practices, varying from herbal treatment to extreme amputations. She batted her eyelashes and set the book aside. A thought crossed her mind to yell out for her sister but instead choose to keep her mouth shut. The last thing she needed was to be kicked out of the library because she was being too loud. Grabbing her book, she stood and began a small stroll into the twists and turns of the library. _

_ “Jamie…” Penelope whispered while stalking around the shelves with steady eyes. “Jamie, where are you? Jamie?” _

_ From her right side, Penelope heard a tiny giggle which made her stop and look over to the direction of the voice. She pressed her lips together and peeked over the books seeing nothing, only more books, and shelves. Little did Penelope know was that Jamie was hiding out of sight, hatching an evil plan for her easily startled sister. As Penelope began to straighten herself out Jamie jumped into view letting out a loud roar. Penelope let out a cry and fell back onto the floor. Meanwhile, Jamie let out giggles and laughs as she walked back into Penelope’s respected space. “That wasn’t funny!” _

_ “Oh come on Pene! It was too funny!” _

_ “Was not!” _

_ “Was too!” _

_ “Was not!” _

_ “Was t-!” _

_ Interrupting the two girls was a bystander shushing them with a snarl and rude glare firing into their direction. Despite the unkind action, it was preferred compared to the worst case scenario which ended with them getting kicked out. Penelope frowned and pushed herself back onto her feet. Her eyes then landed upon a thick book stashed between Jamie’s side and her left arm, a book on the basics of alchemy. Jamie followed her sister’s gaze and smiled brightly now pulling the book out into full view to show it off. “It’s Alchemy! I’ve read some of it and it seems pretty cool!” She told Penelope in a bright voice. “We can actually do this!” _

_ Penelope rose an eyebrow slightly. “How do you know that?” _

_ “We just need to draw these diagrams called Transmutation Circles and activate them! Simple as that!” Jamie explained. Her sister gave the girl an odd look, not even able to process what she was being told. Transmutation Circles, activating them? Everything that Jamie was rambling on about sounded like mumbo-jumbo that was trapped in a second language. Jamie pulled out a piece of pink chalk and sat down to write a rather simple transmutation circle on the ground. Before Penelope could scold her sister, she was shushed without hesitation. “Just watch!” _

_ A breath was sucked deep into Penelope’s throat, her nostrils flaring, wanting to lecture her sister about even daring to mark on the ground. The little girl clapped her hands together swiftly and then they were set on the circle to create a glowing blue light that shone through the shelves. Lights so intense that it almost powered over the library lights. Penelope squinted at the light, preventing the blinding light from damaging her eyes any further. The blue strings of light faded away from sight, leaving behind a pristine and finely crafted fox made from the very ground. Penelope’s eyes widen. “Woah! How did you do that?” _

_ “It’s alchemy! Here take the book!” As the book was being carried to the eldest Dewitt, Penelope snatched the book away and opened the book to a random page. Immersing herself into the complex language that was the science of Alchemy. Jamie giggled and stood on her tiptoes to see what her sister was looking at, something already past her limits. Penelope’s expression grew to be puzzled, staring at the contents with great distress. “It’s probably best if you start on the first page and not on the first page you land on.” _

_ She paused and stared at the page for a moment before turning to the first page. “I suppose you’re right.” _

_ “You’re funny Pene!” Jamie giggled now hugging her sister by wrapping her arms tight around her waist. _

From that day on, Jamie and I threw ourselves head first into the world of alchemy. Checking out multiple books from the library at a time, reading and performing alchemy every chance we could, reading nothing but alchemy, we were obsessed with the art. It became a contest every once and awhile, a contest Jamie always won. Jamie was, without a doubt, better at alchemy than I was. But in early December during an errand, Jamie slipped and cracked her head open.

_ Penelope ran downstairs in a flurry of panic, tears were streaming down her face, fear was pumping through her veins, fueling every movement she could make. Pushing through the crowd of kids standing in her way in order to get to the dining hall where her sister was resting. Surrounded by women who worked for the Orphanage, blood cresting their hands and their foreheads from wiping sweat away. “What happened!” The girl screamed, trying to push through the crowd. _

_ “Get her out of here!” _

_ “She shouldn’t see this!” _

_ “That’s my sister! Let me see her!” _

_ Finally, Jamie opened her eyes with a glance shooting in the direction of her eldest sister. The only family she had left. A family member that she was bound to leave behind. Weakly Penelope’s name slipped out of her sister’s throat, striking at a nerve on Penelope that stung with a sharp pain. It stabbed into her chest, burning like she was impaled with a hot fire poker. Penelope shoved past the women and ran to her sister’s aid. A nearby woman grabbed Penelope’s hand and placed it on a rag that rested on the bloodied lines on her sister’s head. She held the rag as close to Jamie’s wounds as possible, the white cloth staining down to Penelope’s hands. “Pen-Pene-” Jamie croaked, tears streaming down the sides of her face parting past blood stained skin. _

_ “Don’t speak, you have to save your energy.” _

_ Jamie stared up her sister, her eyes glossed with tears. She was slipping away and she couldn’t hide that from Penelope nearly as well as she wished to. “Can you… Can you tell me a be- a story?” _

_ Penelope’s features softened as she lowered her head so her face was parallel to the floor. A small sniffle squeaked from her nose when she rose her head and began to tell her sister a bedtime story, one last time. “There was a… Young girl. Who lived a happy life without a worry in the world. She had everything she could have wanted in her life. One day, everything she had was stolen from her…” A quiet sniffle escaped her nose again before she continued. “The girl gluttoned for the happiness that she felt before, but as hard as she tried, she couldn’t recreate it. That despair was enough to completely stifle out any hope as she could have… And she gave up on any form of happiness. But she met people who could give her light again, parts of her life that she thought she lost forev-” Suddenly Jamie’s body became limp, cold like the weather outside, her face more relaxed than when she slept. A detail that Penelope noticed instantly, her eyes going wide and becoming full of salty tears. “Jamie…?” _

_ Hands grabbed onto Penelope’s shoulders, pulling her away from Jamie and swallowed her once again to operate. A pair of hands pulled Penelope out of the room now slamming the door shut. Penelope stared at the wooden door with a bewildered gaze, feeling as if she was just beaten brutally with metal gauntlets. The part of her that knew all too well was drowning her until she was no longer kicking or screaming. Slowly she sat down against the wall next to the door frame, burying her face into her knees. Her heart was racing towards an ungodly speed, the air in her lungs became stiff, sweat made her face slick and mixed with tears that traced into the crevices of her features. _

_ Time had passed, it was hard to say how much has been lost to startled and scared questions that roamed in Penelope’s skull. What cut off her worry was the door opening and a woman from the orphanage stepped out, her eyes meeting with Penelope’s rising ones. So slick and bloodshot that her eyes looked like they had been coated with decorated glass. There was a suspension when everything froze, even when Penelope saw what was coming her way. “I’m sorry… She’s gone.” _

_ Her heart seemed to drop into the pit of her stomach and jump into her throat all at once. _

_ - _

_ Jamie died on December 13th at 7:13, the next day she was buried at the local cemetery. Her burial wasn’t extravagant. It was very simplistic with two men burying her while Penelope and another woman from the orphanage watched, their eyes differing with levels of grim. The woman felt a natural sadness when hearing of the death of a child, while Penelope felt the grief of having to bury a younger sibling. She was suffering through an emotional blow that she couldn't see her recover from. “It must be hard…” The woman started. Penelope blinked and lifted her gaze to the woman. “To bury a sibling… The only family you have left. Gone…” The woman paused upon hearing Penelope’s silence and pressed her lips into a thin line. “I’m sorry. I imagine I’m not making you feel any better. But do you have a plan to move forward?” Quietly Penelope shook her head, her eyes trailing back to the dirt covered coffin. “Well, you enjoy alchemy yeah? Perhaps you could invest some time into that.” _

_ Penelope’s eyes widened, the instant that alchemy was brought into the conversation. The back of her mind screamed at something Jamie found months before. Alchemy, designed to revive the dead! Human Transmutation. Of course, alchemy was the answer to this problem! She studies the art, brings her sister back to her, and then she doesn’t have to worry about being any loneliness. “That’s it!” She exclaimed. “Alchemy! There was something Jamie found, Human Transmutation. It’s a type of alchemy that can bring the dead back to life!” _

_ “Wait isn’t that…?” _

_ “I can just-” _

_ “Penelope.” _

_ “study it and then bring her back without any problem and she’ll be back in no time!” _

_ “Hold your horses, Penelope. I’m not big in this alchemy thing, but I’m pretty sure reviving the dead is forbidden.” _

_ “If it’s forbidden for a really good reason why put it in the books to begin with?” _

_ It was hard to talk a stubborn child out of something they already had their minds set on, this woman knew that. But Penelope seemed to spring into this new mindset when she discovered another option. A way out of this. When a child loses a person or animal they love, naturally, they need something to believe in. Saying they were in a better place or that at least they’re not in pain anymore was how the coping process typically went. But the route that Penelope went down could be dangerous, and the woman from the orphanage also knew that. “Listen, Penelope. Don’t be too rash about this… You can’t question why something is the way it is. This is the law you’re talking about breaking. Now swear that you won’t take part in this.” _

_ “But-” _

_ “No buts! Swear.” _

_ Penelope let out an annoyed puff of air and complied with a quiet nod after a tranquil moment of silence. The woman nodded and placed her hand on her shoulder. “We should head back... You best set that flower down now.” _

_ She walked forward and her arm extended to drop a quaint little anemone into the dirt mound, only to be buried and crushed by the next layer of dirt. _

I lied that day and I didn't feel guilty, instead, I began a study that went on for months over this single transmutation. I did nothing else. All I did was study science and perform acts that could aid my goals. Looking into anatomy, biology, chemistry, medical alchemy, and reviewed the basics relentlessly. Until the final day, I fueled my goals with the skills I needed.

_ Penelope had most of the elements needed for this task for a couple of months now. Since finding money was scarce she had been wise to spend it on things that she needed for this specific transmutation. But she was smart, knew ways to get money that no other kids had thought of without simply stealing. Stealing was just another way to get in trouble with the Orphanage. She was on bad terms with the Orphanage already due to her intentionally shrugging off potential parents and refusing to be around others. Perhaps she could have been adopted by now. _

_ Growing up Penelope envisioned being adopted with Jamie, so naturally, she didn’t want to increase her chances for finding a home if there was an opportunity to bring Jamie back. And the hefty price of only being around Jamie was taking its toll. As time passed Penelope felt the looming loneliness become neck deep. How much longer until it completely swallows her whole? Drowning her until there’s nothing left for her? _

_ She snuck the last bag of elements under her bed making sure that no one was inside to see her lurking around. Now she finally had everything she needed to go through with this. In the corner of her eye, she saw something shining on the desk where Jamie’s belongings occupied itself. Penelope’s eyes narrowed on the object as she stood and stepped closer to inspect it. A quaint music box made of wood with a small golden handle on the side. It was worn down, sure, but still all the more pleasing for her to see. Her hand reached for it, taking the small musical thing into her palm. _

_ Penelope raised a small sad smile as her thumb traced over the corners of the box. Then opening it she saw the small tired pin drum and comb under a thin sheet of glass that was collecting dust. She brushed the glass with one thumb while her other hand began to wind up the handle with small clicks accompanying the tiny movement. When she stopping the winding, the music box released a quaint little tune that could serve as a lullaby for a baby and also raised a smile onto Penelope’s soft features. Her eyes were entranced on the bronze comb brushing over the pin drum as it rolled into the metal bristles just as it was intended. Delicate hums pressed against Penelope’s closed lips as the tune continued to play, still picturing her sister’s smile that went ear to ear when she first listened to the music box play its song. _

_ As the music halted to a stop Penelope closed the music box and brushed her finger over the smooth wood that made up the thick lid. Now setting the music box back onto the table as she slowly began to sit up. Penelope knew it would be best to rest before this transmutation was to occur, but somehow this tiny little box seemed to fan the fire in her stomach. The last things to do before the transmutation was to get a tub for the elements and then craft the transmutation circle she would use. In her mind, there were only small obstacles in her way that meant nothing when her sister was involved. Yet nothing could prepare for the grueling obstacle that was never going to be enough. _

_ - _

_ She waited until it was three in the morning to fetch a metal tub that was used to help clean the floors and bring it to her room after filling it halfway with water. The moment she had it settled on the side of her rather cramped room, she went back to lock the door behind her. If someone were to come in during the transmutation it could snap Penelope’s focus and a rebound could be a result of that. Rebounds were unpredictable and could possibly result in death, rather ironic given the situation. Penelope went to the desk and pulled out a common piece of chalk before kneeling onto the ground and writing and drawing what she needed in order to make this transmutation work. A large human transmutation circle with no faint spots. _

_ Next, she carefully dragged the tub of water to the center and fixed any smears of chalk on the circle. Moving around the circle she was cautious to not making anymore smears as she moved around the array. Finally, she took the bags of elements and began to open them up to begin the measuring which would be floating in the tub of water. _

_ “Water, Carbon, Ammonia, Lime, Phosphorus, Salt, Saltpeter, Sulfur, Fluorine, Iron, Silicon...” Adding on the elements and it's respectable measurements to the tub of water as she spoke until there was nothing left to add. Now was the moment. It would be foolish to back out now, after all the work and being in touching distance to the goal. _

_ Her sister’s reborn life was right there. Rubbing against her palm, teasing her as it slithered over her fingers, drawing her closer like a mouse being lead into a snake’s nest. Penelope picked up the empty bags and set them to the desk and gave herself as much room as she could to pursue the very life she intended to regain. A breath was drawn in as she lowered herself to her knees, pressing against the wooden floor. She gritted her teeth as her palms slapped together creating an echo throughout the room and finally slamming her hands onto the transmutation circle below. In an instant a bright blue light shone through the dim room, filling Penelope with a great anticipation to its peak. _

_ And she actually thought that she was going to successfully escape the wrath of the greatest taboo. _

_ Much like the others before her and after her, she wasn’t going to defy the natural law. _

_ Shortly after the blue light grew, a loathing purple glow took its place shrouding the room into a dark shadow. Penelope felt an uneasiness take over her body as her eyes wandered as any outside noise was suffocated by the sparkling sounds of the transmutation. Her heart smashed on her ribs as the brooding adrenaline started to swallow her whole as she forgot the world outside this small room. The floor underneath the tub of water and damp elements tore open to show a bright gray and white melancholic eye beading back at her. Thin shadow like hands crept from the floor, under her nose, as her eyes remain locked on the eye of the Truth. A shadow latched itself onto Penelope’s head, digging past her skull and into the lobes of her brain. She let out a scream and cry at the contact and tried to scurry away only to face another sly shadow digging deep into her cranium. _

_ Dots fluttered her vision as the pain of the digging in her brain progressed, feeding a growing numbness that seemed to swallow her whole. Penelope’s body was too invested in all her senses and thoughts that she didn’t even realize that a cluster of bangs and yells commenced outside the door. The crackling of the transmutation, sparkling around her, making the noises outside the door seem as if they hadn’t even existed; the shadows eating away at the inside of her skull in chunks, the innards of her flesh disappearing at the very touch of the substanceless hands; the dim dark violet lights contrasting the bright eye of the truth staring back at her, almost hypnotising her into feeling nothing all while feeling everything in a slow burning stab as the walls closed around her. _

_ - _

_ Penelope saw a great white room with no walls or ceiling like a never ending sea of a blinding white. All the overwhelming occurrences seemed to vanish in an instant. Her eyes dashed around the area in an almost bewildered frenzy as she began to process the simplicity of what she was seeing. “H-Hello?” Turning her head over her shoulder she met with the largest door she had ever seen in her life. It was over twenty times her size, easily towering over her. “I-Is anyone here?” She yelled out into the bright abyss but expected no response to come forth. _

_ “Hello!” A voice heavy with mystery, echoing with a bold confidence greeted. _

_ The girl let out a yelp and jumped so her back faced the door to face a figure she knew wasn’t watching her before. A completely white figure with gray specks to shape the rather short form, but despite it’s equal height to Penelope it still seemed to raise a daunting shadow over her. Penelope blinked and adjusted her eyes so she could process what exactly she was looking at. “W-Who are you?” _

_ “Huh! Well, I’m glad you asked! I am called by many names, I am The World, I am The Universe, I am God, I am Truth, I am All, I am One.” Then lifting its head with a grin being the only thing that showed on its features. Slowly Truth’s arm lifted upwards and extended it’s finger up to Penelope, pointing straight at her. “And I am also, you.” A gust of air slammed onto Penelope’s back as the door shifted to an open. Her face went pale as the pressure in her chest grew too heavy, tears already dropped off her lower lashes as her eyes and head shifted to see the large door slit open with the eye she saw before roaring back at her. “You have dared to knock on the door, now the door is open. _

_ Shadows sprung free, grabbing at Penelope’s legs, arms, clothes, strands of short hair to drag her closer. A panicked croak came out first but then soon followed by loud shrieking pleas to stop. Penelope was dragged closer and closer no matter how much she screamed and cried as if she was going to be free. Her eyes widen as she was pulled inside without any time to process and the door slammed shut the moment she was in. _

_ The room bathed in darkness, her feet weren't even touching a solid ground as she pulled deeper into the darkest of abysses. Suddenly bright streams of knowledge dashed past Penelope in a flurry, assaulting her mind with things she never imagined that she would know, the world passing her by, everything she could ever want to know about alchemy invaded into her skull at an ungodly speed. “S-Stop this please!” _

Everything was spinning around me, going faster than I could process it, even when I tried to close my eyes the information still found a way to ram itself into my head.

_ “Stop…!” She whimpered desperately while trying to squeeze her eyes shut. Even doing that much didn’t spare her from the flood of the world nearly silencing her. _

I thought my skull was going to explode right then and there.

_ A false feeling of warmth graced Penelope’s face which peeled her eyes open, in front of her, a paper white figure that was carved with a gray static that was only an inch shorter. Penelope tore her arms away from the shadowed hands and attempted to plow through the hold of these hands. “H-Hey! Wait! Help me please!” When she reached her hand out a shadowed hand touched her’s as her flesh began to peel away like the skin of an orange. Her eyes widen at the sight but still tried to struggle against the hands even when they ate away her, shred by shred. “Don’t leave me alone!” _

_ Before her fragmented hand could touch the figure’s, everything around her flashed back into the room in which she started. The pure white and doored room, with Truth watching her contorted face with amusement as she tried to process what she’s seen. Finally snapping out of it, Penelope checked herself, every part that was stripped away has returned as if she only imagined the hands and the mere tinkling of her skin were flaking away. She felt all over herself and sucked in a breath of air when she crumbled to the ground with her nails clawing into her clothes. Tears streamed down her face, sobs were trying to knock themselves out of her throat, her body trembled above the stiff ground, a growing pain swelled inside her skull as she stared at the floor like a child being abused as punishment. “How was it?” _

_ Penelope let out sniff as her hands were set onto the ground. “W-What was the point of that… Why did you… I don’t understand…” She stammered incoherently not even bothering a glance to Truth. _

_ The Truth stood from their spot and rose a grin. “Perhaps you aren’t meant to understand. However, that doesn’t excuse your toll.” _

_ Her eyes widen as she shot her head upwards. “Toll?” _

_ “Surely you understood this.” _

_ A shock zapped through her head and blood slipped from her eyes then to the floor. Penelope jumped and touched her skin, now seeing the blood on her fingertips. She almost let out a surprised gurgle and squeezed her eyes shut. _

_ “It’s the Law of Equivalent Exchange, isn’t it, Alchemist?” _

_ - _

_ Penelope was trapped in a fetal position, holding her head as blood slipped out of her wounds and rolled out of her eyes. Sobs broke out of her throat as the lights of the transmutation began to die down along with the sounds of sparks disappearing from existence. There was a moment when she felt as if the room swallowed her whole, surrounding her and squeezing her into submission even after a bright light invaded. The doors burst open as women from the Orphanage scurried in but stopped upon witnessing what Penelope created, along with the result of that creation. No one dared to come close to the monster that laid in the middle of the floor in the center of the transmutation circle as it began to gurgle and sputter to life. Upon hearing the noise, Penelope shot her head up and sat up. “Jamie! Jamie!” She cried out but stopped when she saw it. _

_ Rotten skin that clung too close to the weak bones, beady red eyes, patches of black hair that refused to attach, and a decaying mouth which released those inhumane noises. Penelope stared in horror as she was being dragged away by the woman in the room. Quickly she tossed and turned, screaming for them to not touch her, trying to get out of their grasp, and shielded her face from any sight, forgetting of the blood that was on her hands. She went still, now slowly pulling her hands away so she could see them. Blood. Her blood. Staining her skin. Stuck under her fingernails. Fresh blood. Her blood. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She couldn’t believe what she was living through. Everything was spinning around her and closing in, the voices continued to speak but she didn’t hear them, she was going to vomit at the blood, the reminder that this was her blood made her sick to her stomach. She went paler, pale as the room she came across before, her breath was lodged deep her throat, almost choking her, her eyes locked on her bloodied hands frantically, the blood slipping from her eyes dribbled down onto her palms dyeing them into a darker red. All her frantic eyes could see was red, all her numb ears could hear was a blaring screech of a ring, her smashing brain could process nothing. Her frantic eyes then went dim. _

_ Penelope was out like a light. _

_ - _

The three Alchemists sat in silence, on the trek back from Liore, waiting for that call that would send them running back to Mustang with no stone. Al watching Ed read through his small notebook while Yuki sat about, thinking of ways to pass the time. Pressing her lips together and tapping a chrome finger on the window lightly. She looked back to the two brothers and smiled warmly before removing her automail hand away from the thick glass window. “How about we play a card game? Maybe some poker?” Yuki suggested.

Ed’s eyes peeked over the split notebook and rose an eyebrow. “You have something to bet on?”

“The loser has to buy food next, but cheaters buy immediately.”

Grumbles trailed under Ed’s breath as he closed his book now shoving it back into his pocket while sitting up. Al grabbed a deck of cards from Yuki’s bag and handed it over to her. Yuki pulled the cards out resting halves into her hands and shuffled the cards together creating the pleasing sound of one card slapping the other. Both brothers watched the cards move together creating one pile only to be split up once more and fall into the intricate shuffle. “Where’d you learn to shuffle?” Al asked.

Not even tearing her attention away from the cards she spoke with a tender voice. “From Penelope, we used to play cards a lot.”

“Did she teach you how to cheat?” Ed mumbled.

“No, she taught me how to catch cheating.”

He rolled his eyes at this and frowned now looking away from Yuki with a sour expression pursed onto his features. Al shifted his attention to Yuki and leaned closer with interest. “How long have you known her?"

Yuki paused her shuffling and held a fond smile. “Since we were little. We met when she was living in the orphanage in Dublith.”

Ed’s head rose and snapped his eyes to Yuki upon hearing the town of Dublith. Beside him, Al’s interest peaked higher. “She grew up in Dublith?” Al questioned. 

“No way.”

“Yeah, she was in a dark place when we met. In a way we both were, but her’s was recent while mine came in spurts. It was so early on she supposedly refused to talk to anyone.”

Ed scoffed out of the side of his mouth. “Maybe that's not a bad thing.”

“Brother!” Al scolded before turning back to Yuki. “I'm sorry. Continue.”

Yuki frowned at Ed’s comment and leaned forward. The fond and warming demeanor seemed to vanish in an instant with a small glare shot in Ed’s direction. “She could have been destroyed, almost ruined her and she's still suffering, I'm just glad we came and helped her when we did.”

_ - _

_ Roy walked around the town of Dublith with his child next to him, her face hiding behind his hand with a tiny expression. Her father, on the other hand, held a firm expression behind his confusion and looked left and right for this place he heard of. A woman who could teach alchemy, since he, himself didn't have the first clue to teaching his daughter alchemy. She was already doing the basics well, but in the current position she was in, there was no way to quench her thirst for alchemical knowledge. The best option had to be to find a teacher. “Well Yuki, I have no idea where this woman is…” _

_ “That's okay Dad.” Yuki quietly mumbled. _

_ A group of three women in orphanage uniforms pushed through the two in which Roy gave them an annoyed stare as they whispered amongst themselves. Completely ignoring how they rudely shoved their way through Yuki and him. Before Roy could let out an ‘excuse me’ something they talked about stuck out. Alchemy. Not about the teacher but about something else. “I heard she was bleeding from every orifice after the transmutation.” _

_ “Really? Did she die?” _

_ “No I was there, it was just her eyes.” The tallest woman stated. “It was a horrific sight. She created something unholy. Not human.” _

_ Roy’s eyes narrowed upon hearing these words, knowing exactly what he had to deal with for the second time now. Another child trying to bring the dead back to life. He told Yuki he wouldn’t be working during their time together but when another person performs Human Transmutation he has to step in immediately. The first women let a sigh with a shrug of her shoulders. “It serves her right.” She muttered. “Doing something so stupid, and for what? The brat had it coming.” _

_ It was at this point when Roy heard enough and had to dive head first into the mess this kid had made for herself. While he followed them with Yuki stepping in his footsteps he heard the second woman speak. “She’s just a kid, there’s no way she could have predicted what was going to happen. Besides, she was trying to bring her sister back.” _

_ “Oh, so that suddenly makes it okay? Whatever sentiment she had doesn’t change that she’s a naive child who thought she could bring back the dead. Once you’re dead, you’re dead.” _

_ “I’m not-” _

_ “Excuse me.” Roy started now stopping the woman from talking as bringing the women’s attention to him. “This girl you were talking about, where is she now?” _

_ The first two women went pale upon seeing the uniform on him, a military man snooping around when a Human Transmutation was involved. The third woman swallowed nervously as her eyes met Yuki’s for a moment before going back to Roy’s. “She’s in the hospital, her name is Penelope Dewitt, but I don’t she’s allowed any vis-” _

_ “I’ll be on my way.” He muttered now walking past them while holding Yuki’s hand who followed close behind. _

_ - _

_ The blinding color of white coated the hospital as Roy and Yuki stepped into through the halls, their steps echoing down the hallway. Up ahead an older woman in a black dress and gray hair tied into a high bun lifted her head and saw the blue of Roy’s uniform and she seemed to turn into a ghost in that instant. As the head of the orphanage it was expected to have her watch over Penelope,  She swallowed nervously, seeming to know exactly why he was here. “She’s not accepting visitors.” The woman immediately stated. _

_ Roy, however, kept moving to the door even blocking out the woman’s orders to stop. Pushing through and slamming the door open, he finally saw her. Penelope, frail, small, insignificant, with her low hanging head and her even lower eyes with streaks of dried blood on her cheeks and under her eyes. This wasn’t going to be like last time Roy encountered a child who tried to resurrect the dead. His head was surprisingly cooler, more relaxed, and less furious about the mess. She didn’t even raise her head upon hearing his entering. Instead of remaining motionless, stiff, as those fish eyes just remained locked on the ground. “So you’re Penelope Dewitt.” He began. _

_ Still, not a single move came from her. _

_ The woman stepped in and crossed her bony arms over her chest, now frowning at how Roy abruptly stormed his way into the room. “She hasn’t talked, not since the incident. The only time she moves is when someone tries to touch her. I don’t know how you learned about her but she’s just a child. A lonely, sad child in mourning. What the hell will you gain by arresting her or executing her?” _

_ “I have no intentions of arresting her or having her executed. What condition is she in?” _

_ She rose an eyebrow at this and pressed her lips together in thought. There was a pause before the woman pulled him aside and left Yuki with Penelope in silence. Roy closed the door behind him as they left and allowed for the woman to speak. “She’s missing portions of her brain, small portions but it’s significant enough to cause some damage. The doctors think she might not make it long, it’s hard to say right now especially since it’ll be difficult to investigate what’s going on. But she’ll have these fits, it puts her in a lot of pain, I never see it but I can hear it.” Now looking back to Roy she studied his hard features that only grew tenser when he became deeper into his thoughts. The woman crossed her arms over her chest. “If you aren’t here to arrest this child, why are you here?” _

_ Roy ignored the woman’s gaze as he stared off, still stuck in his mind. “For a child her age to perform a transmutation such as that is impressive all in itself.” _

_ “So she’s gifted at alchemy? What are you getting at?” _

_ Finally, Roy looked to the woman and his eyes seemed to tell the whole plan, what his true intent was. As beneficial it was to the both of them, it would take a lot to convince this woman. To start, Roy let in a breath and spoke, “Ma’am, I feel it would be favorable for Penelope to come stay in Central to further her research with the military and become a State Alchemist. She would have a rank, equal to that of a Major and have full access to whatever research she feels necessary not only for her goals in alchemy but for getting control over her life again.” _

_ The woman knotted her eyebrows together. “Now? She’s a child. You expect me to believe our military is in need of a child on the battlefield? Don’t you think she’s gone through enough? And how do you know she’ll even want to use alchemy again after all of this? She is missing parts of her brain.” _

_ “Which leads me to my next point,” Roy stated. “she’s going to need the best medical care if she’s going to last and that’s what she’ll get in Central. The military can cover any medical attention she needs, and if I’m not mistaken those bills would be pretty hefty on a small Orphanage like yours.” _

_ “So you just want me to let her leave scotch free? I can’t legally do that.” _

_ “Then I’ll take her off your hands.” _

_ A silence washed over the two when Roy let that slip, the woman looked as if she was slapped across the face while Roy held a concrete expression. She looked aside for a moment before looking back to Roy. “Sir, with all due respect, I don’t think it’s best for you to be taking in this girl, with your missions and you being absent.” _

_ “What would you prefer? For her to rot away in an orphanage and burn a hole in your pocket, or for her to go fight for control over her life again?” Roy argued. “She’s young now, but that doesn’t mean she has to die like that.” _

_ The woman’s face hardened and she looked once again, looked away from Roy with her face molded with thought. She shifted slightly in her spot. “We should have her decide what she wants. If you can convince her to go with you, then you get her. But she might not want to leave now that... She wanted to be adopted with her sister.” _

_ Roy’s hardened face cracked for a second before quickly recovering as he briskly stepped back inside the room. Upon entering he saw Yuki staring at the mute child with what seemed to be pity from just now understanding that this girl who was a little older than her has seen what most people can’t bring themselves to forget. Penelope hadn’t moved an inch, not even her messy hair seemed to be glued forever into this chaos. To anyone, it was troubling to see a child in such a ruined state, and even though this was the second encounter with a distraught child it never got easier. The door was forced shut by Roy as Yuki tore her attention back to where Roy stood. “Yuki, I need to talk with Penelope alone.” _

_ “Is she in trouble papa?” She asked. _

_ “No…” _

_ Yuki looked back to Penelope before puffing her cheeks and almost waddling out of the room with the door shutting behind her. The moment the door shut, Roy focused his attention onto the child before him. He sucked in a deep breath and took his spot in the closest chair to Penelope, instantly feeling the air get thicker. “To start off, I’m sorry for your loss, I can only imagine how difficult this must be for you.” She didn’t budge. “But with that said, I have an offer for you, a chance to start over as much as possible. You can leave with me and go to Central as soon as the doctor gives the okay when we get there I can offer you a place to stay, stability, a new family, but that is if you work for the military as a State Alchemist.” _

_ Penelope didn’t budge at first, it took a moment for something to spark within her, a dim determination that shone through the grime of despair. Slowly lifting her head, she still didn’t bother to look at him. “Tell me, what would you gain by having a child like me working as a State Alchemist?” _

_ Roy leaned forward now understanding what this girl was doing, even in the darkest of times she still tested him. She knew what questions to ask, she was smart. “Well, your alchemical skills could greatly benefit our research into multiple studies, that is dependent on how you wish to use your alchemy. For life, chimeras, medical, energy, combat, really anything. With the skill you have, it shouldn’t be too hard.” He answered. _

_ “Hm,” She hummed softly. “Well you see, I just committed a crime, and I’m assuming reviving the dead could be punishable by death, so why would I throw myself in the lion’s den? Also, how do I know that you aren’t luring me out?” _

_ “For a kid with holes in your brain, you’re pretty smart. But do you really think I would purposefully get you killed while giving my daughter the chance to get close to you? As far as your secret goes, I suggest you keep it in the dark and I will keep it hidden as well.” _

_ Continuing the trend of keeping her eyes off Roy, Penelope tried to think and maneuver herself into a position in which she would be able to expose any faulty plans. Roy composed himself so that he was standing tall and laced his fingers together in his lap. “Well, Penelope, what do you say? Are you going to stand and start over or will you sit and keep your eyes on your mistakes?” _

_ Finally, Penelope tore her eyes to Roy, looking at him dead in the face, revealing that new found determination that only now seems dull. “You see, I think you have it backwards. Leaving doesn’t mean I’m starting over, I could leave to any place really but there’s a reminder with me at all times.” She stated now pointing to her head. “It’s right in here and it’s going to play with me until it takes me out. If I really wanted to start over, I would stay here, the Orphanage would want me to forget, make me forget, try to set me up with a family that wouldn’t want to talk about my condition or even let me think about touching an alchemy book; and if anyone brought up those holes or alchemy, it would be the equivalent of a single bullet that starts a war. But the difference between that and what you’re offering me is that you leave those memories intact, a family that’s most likely more open to talking about my issues, and in a place like the military I wouldn’t be allowed to forget because if I were to forget it could slip out and then I’m hung. Besides, when I’m in a hospital bed after a rough fight I will sit and think it’s either going to be this festering wound or it’s going to be my head, which one will win the race?” _   
  


_ It was at this point Roy began to stand. “Alright kid, I think you’ve made your point, I’ll-” _

_ “I’m not done yet,” Penelope stated firmly. “it is tempting to just abandon your offer, to just let you leave so I can live my life, but my sister’s life was tempting too and it almost ended up killing me, and by letting you leave I’m letting it finish the job. So I will stand and leave with you while keeping these eyes on my sins to make sure that they don’t end up killing me in the end.” _

_ Roy’s face twisted into an amused sneer as he crossed his arms over his chest with a small snicker. “Well, you’re full of surprises aren’t you?” _

_ That very day Roy and his daughter snatched me and my belongings away so I could live with a married couple in East City until I was ready to take my exam. Things were rough with them, money was scarce, adding me to the equation only made things more difficult as far as living goes. But that only fueled my actions and my desperation to get a certification, I wanted to provide and return the favor. So I spent years studying the craft, preparing a research report which would harness electricity using alchemy and when it was finally done I went to take the exam and showed off my report, hoping that would excuse me from the demonstration portion. But it may have only sealed a demonstration. _

_ “Do you have a plan?” Yuki questioned as Penelope searched through her bag frantically along with the inside of her brain for something to transmute. The materials weren't a problem but it was the result that was the blaring issue. She could transmute anything but there'd still be a high chance that no one in the room would be impressed like her sister would be. When Penelope pulled all sorts of materials out the bag in silence Yuki quieted huffed and scooted closer. “Well you have a bunch of metals, if you pick up some sand you might be able to make a light bulb.” _

_ Penelope shook her head and set everything aside. “No, I can't… I mean I could but that's a little too simple isn't it?” Her eyes widen and she turned back to Yuki. “The youngest State Alchemist has Roy as a Commanding Officer, right?” _

_ “Yeah?” _

_ “How did they do it?” _

_ “Well, from what I heard he transmuted without a circle and almost stabbed the Führer just to tell him that was a good way to assassinate him.” _

_ At first, Penelope was impressed, but as the story went on a frown crossed her features and her eyebrows furrowed together. “Well, that's a good way to get killed. I'm surprised the idiot got a certification.” Yuki rolled her eyes at the comment and leaned forward. “But maybe I can try transmuting without a circle…” _

_ “And do you think you can?” Yuki asked.  _

_ Penelope stood and straightened herself out while cracking for her fingers. “Well, there's only one way to find out.” She started now clapping her hands together that was accompanied by an echo that rang through the empty halls. _

_ For a moment she stood in silence with her thoughts clouding together with theories as to how one could use alchemy without an array. Penelope barely practiced alchemy since the accident given she wasn't exactly sure how damaging this could be for her brain. What she expected was to stay off the battlefield as much as possible, but now that she stood in Central Command she found herself going through a reality check. If a certification came from this work, performing alchemy would be a daily routine no matter what condition it put her in. Her hands parted now lowering to the ground around with her body only to be interrupted by the doors opening and a voice calling her name. Looking up, her heart began to pound against her rib cage as she understood what she was about to do now. She pressed her lips together she rubbed her hands together before grabbing the metals and holding them close to her side. _

_ Yuki’s eyes soften as Penelope’s expression changed for the worst and she stiffly stepped towards the next portion of her test.  Quickly she stood and followed her and wrapped her arms around Penelope’s body. The two of them stopped as Penelope relaxed and melted into the comforting embrace after a second of processing. “You're gonna do great Pene…” _

_ Looking over her left shoulder Penelope raised a soft smile feeling that familiar warmth that somehow Yuki contained from her sister. In unison, they parted the hug as Penelope took those steps into the next test. The moment the door closed Penelope’s eyes wandered around, catching older men in her gaze that muttered to themselves the moment she stepped in, the Führer standing a few feet away from her with a firm but somehow understanding expression glued on his hardened features, and finally Roy raising a sly smirk when she stopped in the middle of the room. _

_ There was a group of men standing in front of the Führer, watching the young girl as if she already did something wrong. It was assumed that this was a result of last year's test, no chances were gonna be taken this time. She swallowed nervously and tightened her fists. “You may begin.” A voice boomed. _

_ “Do you need chalk for your transmutation?” A soldier beside her questioned. _

_ Penelope nodded now setting her metals to the ground in front of her. Now taking his chalk she knelt down and placed the tip on the chalk on the ground already knowing what circle to draw but finding herself blanking. Her mind became empty as she began to feel those dreadful holes in her skull again. Her face was caked with sweat, her hands nervously trembled creating an inaudible scratching of the chalk meeting with the ground. Roy’s stare grew more intense on her as he leaned forward to watch her far more carefully than when he initially intended. He had no worries last time, but now he felt a concerning thought of Penelope crumbling under this newfound pressure. _

_ Führer Bradley rose an eyebrow at her sudden pause but continued to watch her almost ghostly face. “Is there a problem?” He requested with his deep voice coming off as almost easing. _

_ Quickly Penelope shot her head up, her eyes meeting his lone green eye. The gears in her head started to spin as her mind went back to wanting to try alchemy without a circle. She removed the chalk from the ground and tossed it aside. “No, sir. There isn't.” Penelope stated now going for the leather belt around her waist, unbuckling it as fast as her fingers allowed them to. From around the room, she heard the men’s volume grow as she peeled the belt off and threw it on the heap of metal. Her hands met together again, recreating that concentrated echo that seemed to heighten her senses. Breathing through her nose, she took in a pot’s worth of air before slamming her hands back onto the metal pile as the breath left her body. _

_ Blue sparks glowed as Roy and the other men watched with a mixture of disbelief and one intrigue, not believing they were witnessing this phenomenon twice now. Once more there was a young gifted Alchemist in their midst who could perform their art without a circle, but this time creating a whip that released sparks of electricity. She rolled her body back up so that she stood with her hand laced around the handle of her crackling whip. Upon seeing her skills a confidence grew in her belly, the passion of alchemy boiled over and engulfed her in such giddy excitement. _

_ One of the State Alchemists that watched from above was a tall, overly built man, with a scarred face fluttering on his tanned complexion with the only hair being on his upper lip in the form of a spiked mustache, a Brigadier General known as Basque Grand. The precision of the weapon made his eyes narrow, watching how her alchemy made it more deadly, how electricity could be harnessed and could be used to cause significant damage to other enemies. It was intriguing to say the very least. _

_ Penelope’s eyes narrowed on the Führer’s smile as she rose her whip and stroke the ground creating a loud clap of which sparks stained the floor with a burnt black. “Impressive, it's clear you know how to think outside of the box.” He stated with firm voice but began to make his way to the exit. “But you still have much more to learn young alchemist.” Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion as he began to make his exit. What made her confusion more troubling was when began to laugh in amusement. “But you did show off your skills nicely, good luck with the rest of your exam.” _

_ Upon his departure, Penelope batted her eyes furiously and tore her sight away from the door in which Bradley left from. “What just happened?” _

_ - _

_ The sun was setting, the city lights began to take control, and the aroma of home cooked dinners traveled from one house to the next which was enough to make the fullest of bellies empty in a split second. In the Hughes house, the smell of a roasted meat with seasoned vegetables to boot with a hint of apple pie for dessert clouded each room. Penelope and Yuki in their rooms, Gracia in the kitchen preparing the last of the fundamentals of dinner, while Hughes returned home. Yuki leaned forward as Penelope finished retelling her experience taking the exam, now starting with her first question. “So, you transmuted without a circle?” _

_ Penelope nodded. “Yeah… I don't know how I did it, and I don't know how to describe it either. I just...” Taking a deep breath she lightly clapped her hands together. _

_ “That must have impressed them…” _

_ A smile broke through Penelope’s features, a laugh escaped from her, and she rubbed her palms together. She paused and stared down to the floor. “Do you think I'll get accepted?” _

_ “I do,” Yuki said with a confident and unwavering voice. That soft smile crumbled only slightly as a silence began them grew. “Pene, you'll be gone too if you become a State Alchemist, right?” _

_ Penelope raised her head and pressed her lips together. “I'll try to be around, I don't want to abandon you.” _

_ “You don't have to call it abandonment.” She argued. _

_ “Leaving you alone with no one is abandonment. I don't want my job to affect how often we get together.” _

_ “You can't control that sorta thing. Look there are more important things than the two of us being able to hang out. I just don't want you to be a stranger, I just want you to be careful, call as often as you can, and do what you can to get your brains back. That's why you're here after all.” _

_ Penelope stared at her with warmed eyes, taking in Yuki’s words and raising a kind smile on her lips. As the two heard Gracia call for dinner from outside their room Penelope rubbed the back of her neck. “Well, I'll try my hardest to come out of this one alive.” _

_ - _

_ Not even a full twenty-four hours passed when Penelope was called back to Central Command, much to her surprise, she wasn't called in by Roy. Instead by Basque Grand who Penelope quickly learned that he wasn't to be trifled with. Upon stepping into Grand’s Penelope first caught his intimidating height, then how every muscle made her head look like a comparison between a melon to a blueberry, then finally how his face could make a child easily break into tears. He stared down at her with cold eyes accompanied with a stiff frown that seemed to be nailed down into his skin. “Penelope Dewit; I'll be your Commanding Officer, the Iron Blood Alchemist Brigadier General Basque Grand.” He aggressively said. _

_ Penelope swallowed nervously and tensed her body up into a seemingly good posture. “Of course sir.” _

_ Grand’s hands moved from behind his back to show off the recognizable State Alchemist pocket watch now handing her the watch with one hand while the other held a manilla envelope. “This pocket watch will be proof of your certification as a State Alchemist.” He muttered as Penelope softly took the watch and inspected it with great precision. Grand cleared his throat, catching her attention so she could take the manilla envelope before her. “This has your certificate of appointment.” _

_ She took the paper from his hand, scanning the outside of the envelope with the flick of her eyes before lifting her eyes back to Basque. “Is this a congratulation or something?” _

_ The Brigadier General frowned at this and crossed his arms over his chest, not bothering to respond to her at all. _

_ “Alright…” Penelope mumbled now opening up the envelope and pulled a thick white paper with black ink and the same symbol from the pocket watch which was assumingly pressed into the paper. She read in silence, her eyes darting from one side of the paper to the other only to repeat the process. _

**This official document certifies that the nation of Amestris, Prefecture of the Generalissimo appoints the name POWERED to PENELOPE DEWITT, in the name of Führer King Bradley.**

**The State Alchemist shall follow all orders and policies of the military.**

**A research assessment examination shall be held once every year in the case that the State Alchemist does not show signs of progress in his research as result of the examination, he shall be discharged from the services of State Alchemist.**

**The State Alchemist is entitled to the use of ample research funds, unrestricted access to classified documents, access to various governmental facilities, and a military rank equal to that of a ‘‘major’’.**

**King Bradley**

_ Upon reaching the end of the paper, she rose an eyebrow and looked to Basque. “So they appoint those nicknames to you?” _

_ Iron Blood’s posture grew to be more rigid with irritation as he eyed her with something completely unreadable. In fact, Penelope wouldn’t be surprised if he had found a small reason to hate her already. “Yes, the titles are appointed to you Dewitt.” He stated with a clear agitation that was practically glowing as bright as the sun. “What is your title?” _

_ His tone made Penelope’s whole body tense up with fear as she shifted back into the stiffened stance, scared to even disappoint him with this mundane act of stating a title. “P-Powered.” She stammered. _

_ Iron Blood’s expression couldn’t become more twisted into an unpleasant glower than it already was but in Penelope’s eyes, it seemed to become all the more disappointed. The pit in Penelope’s stomach grew. He leaned closer to her only for her to lean back to keep the distance between them while closing her eyes. “I didn’t catch that.” His voice coming out in a growl. _

_ Penelope gulped and straightened herself out and looked up to him. Forcing the panic down and voiding any hindering expression away from her features. “I’m the Powered Alchemist.” She told him in a stronger voice. _

_ Basque’s eyebrows knotted together now standing straight and continued to eye at her like a spider watching a fly. Then looking away as he walked back to his desk, Penelope looked back to the paper and then finally the pocket watch, a smile softly creeping onto her face as the realization of her success dawned upon her. She believed she was starting to live the life her sister would have killed for, one of travel, adventure, and endless possibilities. _

_ - _

The sun had already died down, leaving the city to light bulbs as its only reliable source of light both on the street sides with the others being in buildings of shapes and sizes. Penelope made it to the house that she walked to, peering through the thin barred gate now seeing a light peeking from the windows of the lowest level of the house. She smiled softly and stepped to the door while looking around for the person who greeted her first every single time. Turning her back to the door she let out a whistle. “Alexander!”

A loud ‘woof’ commenced from inside, behind the door which tore her attention to the door instead of the wide open yard. Penelope smiled a little as her hand reached over to the doorbell to let out the quaint ring her foster family needed to hear. Before her hand could even touch the handle, one of the double doors opened wide from a man opening up the door. A man with brown hair, pale skin, and glasses glaring over his eyes. Upon seeing her his eyes widen slightly behind the glasses. “Penelope!” He greeted with a relieved voice.

“Hi, Tucker…” Penelope responded with a smile. The door was forcibly opened wider as a large white dog with a slobbery pink tongue bolted out and jumped up for Penelope to instinctively lower her hands so that they met with the dirty paws. An even brighter smile crossed her features upon this occurrence as she knelt down to allow Alexander to assault her face with kisses. Her face scrunched up naturally as this progressed for a moment before moving her face away and letting out laughs of glee. “Okay okay! I missed you too!” She giggled as he licked her ear in his delight.

From above her Tucker smiled at the reunion. “I can wake up Nina to say hi to you.”

“Nah, if you do that she won’t be able to fall back asleep.”

“Well, you’re not wrong there,” Tucker stated. “How long do you plan on staying…?”

Penelope let out a bittersweet smile as she stood and gave Alexander a tender and loving scratch on the top of his head leading to the back of his ears. “I dunno… Only time will tell.”


	5. An Alchemist's Anguish

**WARNING**

**THE FOLLOWING CHAPTER CONTAINS ELEMENTS OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA AND DEPRESSION.**

**PLEASE READ WITH CAUTION AND IF I MISSED ANY IMPORTANT ELEMENTS PLEASE LEAVE ME A COMMENT OR MESSAGE.**

It was the same night that Penelope had returned into the arms of her foster family, sleeping soundly in her bed, the room had changed little from when she was last here. She was a child with simple needs. The room was painted a delectable shade of chestnut with a white ceiling, a bookshelf full of books with a small step stool for books on the top shelf that she had yet to be able to reach on her own. The only thing that changed was the desk, once next to her drawer with a comfy chair to accompany had disappeared and ended up in Tucker’s study. He needed it more after all since he had become a State Alchemist.

Penelope was covered in cream bedsheets that were lightly coated with dust and Alexander’s dog hair. She didn’t mind it too much, it smelt nice compared to other places she found herself sleeping in. Comfort almost overpowered the sound of the telephone crying downstairs like an infant that had grown needy for attention. She peeled her eyes open, the ringing catching her attention. A grunt came from her throat as she threw the sheets off her and dragged her feet against the smooth wooden texture of the floor.

Upon making it downstairs she tore the phone off its holder and pressed her ear on the speaker. “Hello?” She groggily spoke.

“Penelope, this is Hughes.” The voice started, effectively knocking any drowsiness out of the alchemist’s system. “I have some news for you, I think you need to sit down for this.”

Her eyebrows knotted together as she looked over to the hall in which she came from, hoping this hadn’t woken up Tucker or Nina. When bringing her eyes back to the direction of the phone, she sucked air into her nostrils. “Alright… Lay it on me.”

“The Brigadier General is dead.”

It felt as if Penelope was slapped across the face, almost not believing what Hughes was even saying. The tone already sounded so unnatural on him, then the news felt like a sham. Basque was a powerful alchemist, Penelope knew this almost better than anyone else. There was a general feeling of shock and horror when processing this, slowly lowering herself down so that she was sitting on the ground.

“The State Alchemist killer got a hold of him.”

“Do you have any ideas on who it could be?”

“We’re working on identifying him right now. I would take some time to recover from this, also watch your back. We don’t know who he’s coming after next.”

“You think they would really come after me?”

“You are a State Alchemist.”

Her lips pressed together into a thin line as her head hung over her bent knees. Slowly she nodded. “Yeah… You’re right.” Lifting her gaze, she began to think of Tucker and Nina, how their lives could be in danger due to this, Tucker more so. Penelope hoped that he had no plans to lay a finger on Nina, but it also scared Penelope that if she died and Tucker died, Nina would be abandoned. Slowly she lifted her head and pressed her thumb and pointer finger on the bridge of her nose. “I guess I’ll leave you to investigate, you’ll need all the time you can get.”

From the other line, Hughes let out an approving hum. “Someone will give you a call about who’ll be your commanding officer for now on.”

“Good to know… I’ll wait for that.” She uttered keeping her fingers pressed against her nose for a few moments. A yawn came from Penelope’s mouth when she removed her fingers and transferred them into her hair. “Thanks for calling me about this… Goodnight Hughes.”

“Goodnight Penelope.”

-

The next day came around, people were hard at work, especially the subordinates in Roy Mustang’s office. Everyone had loads of paperwork on the desk, scattered all about as everyone worked on something in the office. From Breda working on paperwork to Fuery working on repairing on a radio. Riza hadn’t even allowed her head to rise from the paperwork as she handed off the pile to Breda. “Lieutenant Breda.” She called out.

“Right.” He acknowledged as he took the pile off her hands. Standing, Breda inspected the work and cursed under his breath. “The Colonel sure is letting his work pile up again, huh?” Breda plopped down onto his chair and looked to Havoc. “Havoc! Gimme a hand will ya?”

“I’ve got plenty to do here already.” Havoc argued now looking at the papers before him. On top of the pile was a file for a Lieutenant Yoki. “Next up… Who’s this? Lieutenant Yoki.”

Joslyn lifted her head and stood to peer over the tables to see the file. The moment she caught a glimpse of the picture and heard his name she sat in her seat again. “Did you forget?” She asked. “That guy was using the Youswell Mine Concession to line his own pockets. My brothers exposed him but now he’s on the run.” She answered, a slight pride radiating from her voice when mentioning her brothers.

Buzzing from the radio played in the room as Fuery did whatever he could to repair the old beaten thing. All the while Riza kept her head on her work but still accounted for the noises it made. “Master Sergeant Fuery, how’s the radio?” She asked as his face grew to be more frustrated.

“The receiver on this thing has seen better days, I think I’m gonna have to replace it.”

A clap of a pair of hands echoed out into the room which somehow didn’t stray their focus from their work. It was a hand placing itself on the radio, which made Fuery lean back in surprise as the lights of alchemy transformed the radio from damaged goods to something that functioned better than before. Fuery looked to the side and beamed upon seeing Ed, Al, and Yuki standing before them looking rather lively. “Hey! It’s Edward, Alphonse, and Yuki!” He chirped with a wide smile on his face.

“Welcome back kids.” Riza greeted. “Go on in, the Colonel’s expecting you.”

Those words made Ed’s chipper face die down into one of annoyance.

-

Roy’s office was only slightly smaller than the room where all of his subordinates worked, holding two brown couches, Ed and Al sitting on one while Yuki sat on the other, and a large desk at which Roy sat at. The three teens had all said everything they needed to say about Liore, Yuki and Ed giving in their report to Roy which he accepted. He had his elbows placed on the desk and his conjoined hands over his mouth and inspected the three of them with careful eyes. “Well done on the Liore case you three, good job. I appreciate you resolving the matter.” Roy responded.

Ed rolled his eyes at Roy. “No big deal, it’s not like we did it for you.”

“Ed…” Yuki quietly scolded.

“Right. The Philosopher’s Stone, another false lead?”

Turning to Roy, Ed, Al, and Yuki’s eyes met with Roy’s darkened ones. Ed paused in thought and then looked away with a curled finger on his chin with a reflective look on his face. “Yeah, after all that the stone was a fake, even so, the power it gave Cornello was real enough. He transmuted this huge Chimera right in front of us.”

Al shifted and looked to Ed. “I still wonder how he was able to use the stone to do that. I’m not familiar enough with the field of Bio Alchemy to really understand it.”

“Yeah, I’m kinda curious about that too,” Ed replied now turning to Al. “It might be worth looking into. Who knows, maybe we’ll find something to help us restore our bodies.”

Both Yuki and Roy exchanged glances, already knowing where to go from here. Yuki smiled and leaned forward with an excited glint lighting up in her face. Things had been crazy since she joined up with Ed and Al, she’s never had the time to visit Tucker and Nina while Penelope was off doing missions for Basque Grand. She already knew that going over would only result in her hanging out with Nina and giving her company while both Ed and Al researched. Frankly, the scenario didn’t bother her in the slightest. “It would help if you met with a specialist, good thing we know one.” She replied as Roy began to dig out a file from his desk.

Ed and Al brought their attention to Yuki only to switch to Roy as he noisily pulled out a file and slapped it onto his desk. The file of Shou Tucker. Roy closed his cabinet and spoke. “The Sewing Life Alchemist, Shou Tucker. He’s done some heavy research into Chimera Transmutation. I’ll introduce you.”

“You’d do that for us?” Al gasped.

Ed’s jaw was dropped for a moment as he heard Roy’s plans but quickly picked himself up, jumping to his feet and pointing directly at Roy. “Okay what’s the catch? You want something don’t you!”

“Don’t doubt my motives! I’m trying to repay you for your work on the Liore case!” Roy argued before the corners of his lips rose in exasperation. “Doing you a favor is better than being indebted to you.”

-

Shou Tucker’s house wasn’t too far away from the Command Center. Walking to the house from there maybe took fifteen minutes, driving there took less than five. Al and Ed sat on one side of the car, quite comfortably while Roy and Yuki sat next to each other. The three of them kept their eyes on Roy as he read from the file about him which held many of his military accomplishments. But it was one that really stood out. “Two years ago, Tucker transmuted a chimera that could understand human speech. That earned him his certification as a State Alchemist.” Roy read aloud.

“By ‘understand you human speech’ you mean…” Ed trailed off, only for his eyes to widen in realization. “Wait! You mean it talks? A chimera!”

“Right,” Roy affirmed. “Supposedly, it only said one thing. ‘I want to die.’ After that, it stopped eating until it got it’s wish.”

-

Back in the earlier days, there was no way for the Tucker family to live in a house like this. In fact, it was Penelope who bought the house and paid for the mortgage to return for the kindness and support the family provided. It was a huge house, with the money the military gave her, Penelope was really the only one who could pay for it and still manage fine enough. Months before Tucker gained his certification Mrs.Tucker demanded Penelope to not pay for their lifestyle any longer, told her that she earned her money and that they could cover everything. They couldn’t.

Thankfully, Tucker’s studying came to good use and he too became a State Alchemist but the damages were already done. Mrs.Tucker left the family. Despite that, Nina Tucker still managed to find some happiness in her dog Alexander and visits from Penelope, who wasn’t there often but still developed a closeness with her.

Nina was awake already, finished getting dressed with her hair in her signature braided pigtails but soon heard a knocking at her door. She perked her head up and pranced to the door and stood on her tippy toes to open up the door. Behind it was Penelope kneeling down to her level with a warm smile on her face as their eyes locked together.

Nina’s face lit up at her. “Big sister!” She cheered now jumping into Penelope’s arms.

“Hey there Nina,” Penelope spoke with a smile as she held her in the hug. Shortly she parted from the hug and looked at Nina with that childlike wonder. “What’ve you been up to?”

She giggled. “I learned to make flower crowns!”

“You did?” Penelope asked with a grin.

“Mhm! They look super cute on Alexander!”

Penelope brought herself to lightly laugh at the thought and stood. “Well, looks like you have to show me how to make them.”

Nina nodded gleefully now slipping her smaller hand into Penelope’s palm with a brightened smile on her face. When Penelope was back with Nina, she felt weightless, that she didn’t need to worry about anything. She gave a child she watched grow up company when Tucker worked and researched his craft. Things could get lonely, she knew all too well. Here, it was like a haven. The two of them moved down the stairs, hand in hand. As they stepped from stair to stair they heard the doorbell going off. Both of their hands parted as they both went for the door.

Tucker moved near the door fixing his sleeves. “Don’t worry you two, I got it.”

“No, I got it!” Nina insisted now zooming past him.

From outside they heard a panicked cry which made the two feel a bit of concern. The only one who seemed untouched was Nina who ran for the door, standing on her tiptoes and opening up the door with Tucker and Penelope close behind. Nina pushed the door open wide enough to see Roy at the door with Yuki and Al standing over Ed who was stuck under Alexander after being tackled. “Daddy! Sister! There’s people out here, look!” She laughed in delight.

Yuki was about to greet Nina but her jaw dropped into a smile upon seeing Penelope again, as Penelope finally processed who was in front of her. At first, a smile was on her face when seeing Yuki and Al only to be replaced with a smug smirk as she saw how Ed was trampled by her dog. All the while, Tucker looked to Nina with an embarrassed expression. “Nina… This is why I told you to keep the dog tied up.”

Penelope shook her head and leaned against the other door, grinning. “Nah, she made the right call with this one.” She retorted with her amusement never even fading.

Even underneath the biggest dog, Ed has ever seen, he tore his face from the ground and frowned when seeing Penelope. “Not you again!”

Both Nina and Penelope slipped past Roy who stood in front of the door as Tucker opened it wide enough for everyone to come in. He pushed up his glasses and raised a smile to try and forget the scene before him. “Please come in,” Tucker told them before turning to Alexander who only continued to lay on top of Ed like he was his own personal dog bed. “Alexander get off him th-”

“Wait wait hold on Tucker. Let me experiment.” Penelope stated now letting laughs come from her mouth. She straightened herself out and looked at the dog. “Hey, Alexander!” Alexander brought his head up with a tiny woof and drool dripping from his chomps. She paused, taking a deep breath and said, “Roll over!”

Ed opened his mouth to protest only to let out a startled scream as the dog followed Penelope’s wish. Rolling off Ed’s body and planting his face back into the ground as the dog plopped off of Ed. And to top it all off, Alexander landed a slobbery dog kiss on top of his head.

-

The hypothetical statement saying ‘the house was pigsty’ seemed rather pale compared to the mess that Ed, Al, and Roy walked into. Roy knew how clustered and messy things got, the boys, on the other hand, expected something cleaner. Piles of books on the tables, covered in dust bunnies, uncleaned dishes piling up in dirty water, cobwebs clinging to the corners of everything they could. When the three stepped in and left Yuki, Penelope, and Nina to have their time together with Alexander, Tucker quickly ran inside to move things off one of the tables so that they wouldn’t have to sit in the mess left behind. “I’m sorry about the mess. Ever since my wife ran out, this place has been a wreck. I’m not much of a housekeeper.” He responded now moving on and giving each of them a warm cup of tea. When everyone was accounted for, Tucker took a seat across from them, raising the corners of his lips. “Now that we’re all settled in, let me say that it’s a pleasure to meet you. As the Colonel told you, I’m the Sewing Life Alchemist, Shou Tucker.”

Roy motioned over to Ed who sat at his right side. “Ed is interested in the field of biologic alchemy. He would like to have a look at your research if that’s possible.”

“Oh yes, certainly. I don’t mind.” Tucker answered his face shifting ever so slightly. Both Ed and Al exchanged glances, Ed flashing a small smile. Until Tucker spoke again. “However, if you want me to show you the tricks I’ve got up my sleeve, it’s only fair that you show me the tricks you have up yours as well. It’s the code we live by-- Equivalent Exchange.” Ed’s stare on Tucker went solid as the man continued. “Now, why are you interested in Bio Alchemy?”

“Oh, um… Ed-” Roy started off. “Well, you see he’s-”

“Colonel.”

-

Outside things were cheerful, bright and sunny as the two older girls watched and learned how to make a flower crown from Nina. It was tiny and innocent even more so when Nina placed it on top of Alexander’s large head. All three of them smiled as the dog perked his head but even then the crown didn’t bother to budge.

Things on the inside felt more grim, messier. Finishing off the tale of him and his brother, Ed took off all of his jackets and showed off his automail arm; the metal gleaming in the sunlight that peered through the window. Roy remained untouched with the story, having heard it before along with another up his sleeve, while Tucker took a moment to process the whole ordeal. “You transmuted your mother as an eleven-year-old child?” Was the first thing Tucker asked, to clarify that he heard everything correctly. A reaction similar to the first time he heard a story like this one. He leaned forward. “I see, so that’s what earned you the title ‘Fullmetal Alchemist.’ You’ve had a rough time of it for someone so young.”

By the end, Ed slumped back down to the chair he had sat in before, a long face pressed on. A pause filled the air, creating a thickness as time passed on. Slowly Tucker stood, holding his palms onto the table. “I can’t say for sure if it’s going to be of any use to you or not… But why don’t you go ahead and take a look at my laboratory?” He suggested, thus beginning a tour of the house.

-

The laboratory was dimly lit at the time, the light coming from the hall. A bookshelf containing books on alchemy, chimeras, and biology sat near the corner which gave light to the true stars of the room. Mutated animals in cages, growling and roaring at the bars, bottled creatures that floated in the water, were the true stars. They practically demanded the attention from the snarling and gnawing of the of the metal bars. Quietly, Al gasped, taking in the whole scene before him. Despite the demands of the animals, Ed scanned his eyes across the books, while Al and Roy looked at the bottled and caged animals. Behind them, Tucker pushed his glasses higher up the bridge of his nose. “It’s kind of embarrassing. I’m fairly widely regarded as an authority on chimeras, but the truth is…” Tucker paused and looked aside with a quiet sense of shame looming over him. “It hasn’t actually been going that well lately.”

-

Next room was calmer, but what it lacked in excitement for the average pedestrian, it made up for in wide space. Opening up the doors and turning on the lights, rows of bookshelves across the room and against the wall were brought into sight. The number of the books in the room could fill a small town’s library, possibly two. Ed was immediately brought into a state of awe as he quickly darted inside. “Amazing!”

“This is my library, feel free to look around.”

His sentence wasn’t even close to being finished when Al and Ed practically ran to the closest bookshelf, already speculating and making piles in their heads of books they wanted to tackle while they stayed. A wide grin was on Ed’s face as he pulled a book from the shelf. “Alright, let’s dive in! I’ll start with this shelf!”

Al pointed to the next shelf and began to collect from that shelf. “I’ll try starting over here!”

Both Tucker and Roy watched as the boys dived head first into the books and the arts that they contained. A faint smile was on Roy’s face as he watched the two of them cracking open books and shoving their noses so far inside that they almost became one with the pages. “I’m going to head back to work now. I’ll send somebody by to get you this evening.” Roy told them only to be drowned out.

Neither Ed or Al budged or even acknowledged Tucker or Roy’s presence from the moment they sucked themselves into the books. Roy soundlessly scoffed and pressed his lips together in thought while Tucker only smiled to himself. He turned to Roy. “They’ve got some ability to focus, I’m not sure they even know we’re here anymore. Quite a catch these two, a couple of prodigies.”

-

Roy already left the Tucker estate, saying farewell to Penelope, Yuki, and Nina as he passed by, leaving in his military car. But that didn’t stop Yuki and Penelope from telling Nina these stories of the adventures they had while in the military. Storytelling dramatically with Nina’s jaw-dropping in wonder, giggling when things got lighthearted, subconsciously urging Penelope to continue on in such a fashion. Penelope’s tale of today was the one of going after a criminal who stole many objects with a large fanbase cheering at every scene. Yuki and Nina watched as Penelope stood, telling the story with gusto. “Then, I went underwater, swimming to the bottom of the canal as fast as I could and transmuted a large trap that she couldn’t get out of. Her shenanigans had come to an end! The police took her away and thus ends another criminal’s life of crime!” She told. With an entertained smile, Nina jumped to her feet, applauding which brought Alexander to bark. Penelope grinned proudly now bowing in such a way that almost folded her body in half. “Thank you, I’ll be here all week.”

Yuki on the other hand just held an amused smile as she quietly clapped while remaining seated on the grass. She already knew that there was more to the story than Penelope told Nina, there was always some cut material. When the clapping died down Penelope took a seat in front of them, a more casual smile put on her face. “Hey, Big Sister? What are those boys doing inside?” Nina asked.

“I dunno, Yuki?” Penelope answered and shifting her eyes to Yuki.

Yuki batted her eyes and then looked to Nina and said, “Well, the three of us came across this huge creature in our last adventure and the boys were curious about it, so they’re doing some research.”

“Oh okay! That makes sense!” Nina replied, before looking aside with her face changing to one of deep thought. “That guy in the armor is really big!”

“Yeah, but he’s a gentle giant,” Penelope assured.

The three of them paused, as Yuki thought hard with her chin resting between her thumb and index finger. An idea hatching in her mind as she darted her eyes over to Nina with a small grin creeping onto her face. “I bet if you ask him kindly, he’ll give you a piggyback ride,” Yuki told Nina with the grin not even moving an inch off her face.

“Really?” Nina gasped.

-

Tickings of the grandfather clock and spinning fans were the only things to be heard in the library with the occasional flipping of pages and closing books. A couple of hours passed, Al and Ed had read countless books within that time. The amount they got through was debatable as Al put the books he read back into the respective spots while Ed mixed books that he read with ones he had yet to tackle in piles surrounding him. As quiet as they could manage, Yuki, Penelope, and Nina stepped inside the room. Peeking behind bookshelves, the three searched for one of the brothers, finding Al first. Nestled in one of the walks ways of books with his helmet stuffed inside. Nina, Yuki, and Penelope poked their heads into sight, watching Al read over the pages.

He shifted upon hearing the three of them, humming softly which made Nina hide her head behind the shelf again while the two remaining girls kept looking. Yuki waved with a tiny smile while half of Penelope’s face hid behind the wood to assure Nina that it was okay. Nina crept her head back into sight, her pigtails swaying as she moved, even shifting slightly when her face broke into a smile. “Hello,” Al whispered, waving to her.

“Hi.” Nina greeted now walking over. “Big Sister Yuki said that if I ask you nicely you’d give me a piggyback ride… So… Could you please give me a piggyback ride?”

A quiet laugh came from Al as he closed the book he was on and shoved it back into the other books. “Yeah, that sounds good to me.” He answered kindly now getting to the ground as low as he could.

Nina’a face brightened as she waddled over to him, climbing up his back as best as she could, soon sitting behind his helmet with a proud grin. Both Yuki and Penelope stepped into full view, feeling delighted when seeing Nina’s joy shone through. “I felt that the two of you needed a break after all of that sitting and reading you’ve been doing,” Yuki stated.

“Hmmm… Yeah, I could use one, for a game of... Horsie.” He stated with a bright tone.

The mere mention made Nina’s head perk with excitement even though she wasn’t exactly sure what the game consisted of. Yet, before she could even get the question out Al began to gallop in place, a cry in enjoyment squeaking out of Nina’s throat. He moved forward as Penelope and Yuki stepped aside and gave Al room to gallop into a wider and safer space. Nina laughed happily as they galloped about, her joy bubbling over.

From another cluster of bookshelves, Ed kept reading until he heard one of Nina’s noises of enjoyment. He rose his head from the book, an eyebrow raising. He set the book aside and lurked down the walkways in the direction of the noise which was when he saw it. Al with Nina on his shoulders, moving in place having a blast while Yuki and Penelope watching with soft laughs to add on. “Way up high!” Al cheered as he jumped in a rhythm.

“Al, what’re you doing!” Ed yelled while stomping his foot in anger. “You’re supposed to be reading!”

“Aw come on…” Yuki groaned.

“Uh, Nina looked like she wanted to play…” Al mumbled.

Penelope rose a teasing grin. “Yeah don’t be a party pooper.”

Ed’s eyes darted to Penelope, his eyes locking in her’s with a slightly frustrated expression. He huffed with his shoulders clinging to the side of his head. “Well in case you weren’t aware Penelope, we didn’t come to play horsie.” 

Quite suddenly, a familiar shadow loomed over Ed’s face, covering over Ed’s almost paling features. Ed turned to see Alexander jumping over Ed, with a majestic bark grumbling out as he landed on Ed’s body once more. A cry of surprise came from Ed as he found himself once again tackled by the large dog. To add on, Alexander found himself licking the top of Ed’s head in affection. Nina giggled. “Alexander says he wants to play too!”

“That’s what you want, is it?” Ed challenged now dragging himself out from under the weight. Now bringing himself to his feet, he stood dramatically, his head lowered to the ground. “You bested me twice dog, but playtime is over.” Then firing his head up and bringing his to the level of his head, a look of determination flared on his face. “I will not lose this time! I, Edward Elric, will use my considerable powers to vanquish you!” He screamed now sprinting to the dog. “You mangy mutt!”

Out of the four that remained, Nina was the only one outright giggling. The three others watched in slight exasperation. Al and Yuki knew how exhausting Ed could be, especially like this, while Penelope was only getting a taste. She was puzzled but mildly amused at the sudden jump. But despite the length of time they spent together there was one thing they all betted on. It was that Ed would not use his ‘considerable powers to vanquish’ Alexander, in fact, it was Alexander that would do such a thing. Poor alchemist didn’t even stand a chance.

-

Several more hours passed by in the Tucker estate, the sun setting tinting the sky with a orange-yellow color with the sun in the distance. Around that time Jean Havoc arrived to pick Ed, Al, and Yuki up from the house. Without a question, he was allowed in and was lead to the library where expected to see the boys still hard at work. Hell, probably having half the library read with their pace. But that was not so. As he walked in he called out to Ed, unaware of what was going on. “Hey chief, your ride has arrived!” But stopped and batted his eyes when seeing that Ed was once more laying under Alexander’s weighty hold. “What’re you up to down there Ed?”

“Oh, uh…” Ed started under his breath. “Let’s just say I’m taking a break from a long day of research.”

“After all that you must be dog tired…” Tucker replied.

Instantly Yuki’s face contorted with laughter, Ed broke into a sweat, while Penelope shook her head at his choice in words. Even Alexander let out an attention-grabbing whimper as he stepped off of Ed. Tucker caught wind of the small joke and let out a small laugh. “Why don’t you come on back tomorrow?”

Nina gasped and spun to Yuki and Al. “You’re really going to come again?”

“We’ll play some more tomorrow, okay Nina?” Al suggested.

“Kay!”

Yuki smiled and lightly ruffled at the top of Nina’s head. “See ya tomorrow kiddo.”

Tucker and Penelope walked Havoc, Ed, Al, and Yuki out of the library and then back to the front door with Nina and Alexander waddling behind. Casually Al, Yuki, and Havoc walked while Ed shuffled tiredly like he had been working physically all day long. But that’s what chasing after a dog only to be trampled will do. As the three alchemists pressed on, Havoc stopped in the middle of the yard and turned back to Tucker’s sleepless face. “Oh, Mister Tucker, I almost forgot. I’ve got a message for you. It’s from the Colonel, he says, ‘Don’t forget, assessment day is coming soon.’”

He swallowed. “Yes, please assure him I know…” Tucker responded now taking both door handles in his hands and pulling them to a close, the only light coming from the small barred windows on the doors.

Penelope’s eyes softened as she turned her back to the window, now walking in the direction of Nina and Alexander. Blankly, Nina stared, confused at the crushing feeling of pressure that Tucker had on his chest. She didn’t move from her spot, but quietly asked, “Hey Daddy? What does assessment day mean…?”

Both Tucker and Penelope shared glances to one another, but Penelope knelt down to Nina’s level. “Nina, assessment day is the day State Alchemists have to report their research, this happens every year and if they do well they get to keep their certification.”

“You see, last year, Nina, your Daddy didn’t get a very good evaluation,” Tucker explained now stepping closer and now standing in front of the two girls. “Unless I do something really impressive this year, I won’t be a State Alchemist anymore.”

“Huh?” The child gasped and puffed her cheeks in innocent childlike determination. Bravely she locked eyes with Tucker and brought her hands up into fists. “No. you’ll do just fine Daddy! I know you will! You’re always studying so much!”

Tucker let out a nervous laugh and knelt down as well, getting on his knees as he pulled Nina in for a tender hug. “You’re right, Nina. I have to try hard…” He replied with his head resting on her shoulder, a hand resting on the back of her head, and his face remaining unmoving as his eyes remained kept on nothing. 

Those dead eyes held those thoughts of desperation, those fears, and everything in between. It was something that could be felt at the thought of this pitiful man. Penelope watched the two of them, her thoughts moving faster than her mouth as she said the first thing that came to her mind. “Mr.Tucker, I could look at your research and help you figure something out.” She offered, giving a lighthearted voice even though she began to realize that she has never worked with his type of alchemy and the realization swarmed her like a pack of ants. “I don’t know how helpful I’ll be but-”

At the sound of her voice, Tucker shifted his eyes, listening to the kind offer. Not even bothering to give her time to finish her entire statement, he butted in. “If you feel that you can help, you may…”

The sinking feeling began to drag Penelope under as she processed the position that she found herself in now. Researching a subject she knew little to nothing about with not only Tucker’s shambled pride on the risk but most likely the entire family livelihood hanging in balance. She pressed her lips together, nodding quietly, and sucked air through her nose. “Cool…” She breathed out, knowing now that there was no way out now.

-

Next day worked in a similar way, the brothers moved into the library reading on whatever they could, Penelope surrounded herself in books and papers with scribbled notes on it and holding a stressed face, and Yuki, Nina, and Alexander joined them not so long after. This time, the group clustered together so they could chat with Nina while they worked about. It was like this for half the day, but a sense of dread loomed over them the moment Mrs.Tucker was brought into the picture. Al moved the book aside, giving Nina his fullest and undivided attention upon hearing the story of Mrs.Tucker. “Your mother left two years ago?” He asked.

Nina nodded, a smile still hanging on her face. “Daddy said she went back to live at her parents’ house.”

Hearing this conversation through her straining research, Penelope lifted her head and turned over to Nina, seeing the small tint of sadness in her expression. As she looked deeper into that seemingly carefree expression, Al continued. “It must get kind of lonely with just you and your dad living in this big house, huh?”

“Nu-uh! Not really. Daddy’s so nice, big sister Pene comes by a lot, and plus, I’ve got Alexander to play with too!” She assured now hugging Alexander, rubbing her skin into his fur lovingly with a smile going to Penelope. But it died out quickly and was replaced with a somber thought. “But lately, Daddy’s been studying in his lab all the time and big sister is always gone, I guess that does make me a little lonely.”

Both brothers looked aside, more or less knowing how that stinging loneliness felt when their father would spend hours in his study and speak to no one. Joslyn, Ed, and Al would peek into the study late at night and still see him working with a candle being the only light illuminating his unmoving body. Their father became a rare sight like a shooting star in the city sky. Guilt filled Penelope, knowing that times like these were unbearable for Nina. She could only imagine how that must have felt, sure she did feel some sense of isolation, but for entirely different reasons behind it. A child her age shouldn’t even know what that’s like. Yuki had grown up with almost every adult in her life in the military so she had to learn to take care of herself, naturally, she sympathized with Nina, feeling sorry that she didn’t know about this until now. An idea popped into Ed’s head through all of the sadness which turned into action the moment he closed the book with a loud thud. Everyone’s attention, excluding Penelope’s, went to Ed as he stood and began to roll his shoulder. “My shoulders are killing me!” He announced.

“You should try to move around then…” Yuki replied.

“Yeah, not a bad idea, Yuki.” He said before changing his expression into a challenging one and pointing at Alexander. “Hey, you mangy mutt!” Both Nina and Alexander jumped, a little woof coming from Alexander. “Looks like you could use some exercise!”

Al giggled lightly and closed his book. “Let’s go too, Nina.”

Nina stared at the boys for a long while, her eyes locked onto them before they closed and her face twisted up into a smile.

Penelope smiled softly, letting her fingers go to the cover of her book to close it. Before she could, Ed reached over and snapped the book shut. Her body jolted and her eyes fired to him. “I’ll race you outside, whaddya say, Penelope?” Ed suggested, his voice thick with a competitive nature.

She hummed in thought and stood. “Well, I’m not sure I’d win. You see I can’t run really fast and I’m teaching Nina to not run in the house and-” Penelope rambled, lying subtly and grabbing the closest book she could. Mid-sentence, she shoved the book in Ed’s chest and sprinted out of the library.

Ed stumbled at the impact. Without thinking he threw the book aside and ran after Penelope mere seconds after she left. As he ran to the stairs, she was already halfway down, taking quick steps down the stairs. She jumped over the last two steps and ran through the main hall, throwing open one of the doors and stepping out of the house and into the bright sunny day. Ed reached the bottom of the stairs and saw this, huffing to himself. “That wasn’t fair! You distracted me!”

“You never said I couldn’t.” Penelope countered.

Behind him, everyone came from down the stairs seeing the two. Their ambitions reeking off each other, tense like Ed wouldn’t allow himself to lose again. He scoffed from the side of his mouth and smirked slightly. “That’s fair. I never said that.” His golden ember eyes went over his shoulder when he heard the pattering of Alexander’s paws against the wooden ground. Then he ran from the house letting out a laugh when Alexander began to chase after the alchemist. As the dog ran after Ed, Nina jumped onto his back, riding on his back like a horse. Ed and Alexander ran laps around the large house, laughing, enjoying themselves as Al, Yuki, and Penelope watched feeling the contagious behavior.

Many different things happened that brought the group great fun. All those were for Nina. Transmuting different objects for Nina’s amusement, sliding down Al’s back, performing neat tricks for Nina, Penelope and Ed doing random competitive acts, and the occasional tackle from Alexander. The glee that frolicked outside couldn’t prepare any of them for the storm that was brewing within the Tucker household. Beginning with the growing of Tucker’s worries and desperation of the State Alchemist Exam.

-

In Central, things were a rigid with the most recent murder being Basque Grand, a powerful Alchemist who could make a child cry by size alone. He wasn’t a pleasant person by any means, but his death was a statement. Rather ballsy given his skills. The person in charge of the case was Maes Hughes with Armstrong on his side to help. But it was hard to catch someone no one has ever seen before. “What I want to know is why this guy is targeting State Alchemists and no one else. If it’s the military he’s trying to hurt, he could go after normal soldiers. Surely soldiers would be easier to kill than highly skilled alchemists. Especially ones who have been state certified.” Hughes muttered in thought.

“Maybe the certification is the reason,” Armstrong argued. “State Alchemists are given high pay and special privilege. There must be any number of people who envy them for their positions… Or perhaps, they feel they have not upheld their creed: ‘Alchemist, be thou for the people.’ Alchemists who are supposed to be pillars of science and truth are turned into the military’s walking weapons as soon as they receive certification. There are plenty of people, I’m sure, who have not forgotten the role that State Alchemists played in the Ishvalan Civil War…”

Both Hughes and Armstrong avoided looking at one another. The silence grew thick as a brick wall. Until there was a knock at the door. Shortly, a woman with a brown pixie cut style, with blue eyes and a small mole under her left eye stepped inside. “I have a report, sir.” She stated now reading off what she had from the clipboard. “A canvas has revealed that yesterday, at nine thirty or right around that time, a man with a large scar on his face was sighted in the Central City Train Station by multiple station employees.”

Hughes leaned forward, his arms resting on the table. “The station? Looks like that bastard got away…”

-

In East City, the sun had set to that vibrant color of orange giving the dining room a grim tone despite the usually upbeat vibe. The session of play time ended, every kid and dog was tired out from the physical work and it was easy to say that things didn’t exactly get done that day. None of them were exactly sure how things came to be so heavy now. Maybe the fear of a revoked registration was to blame. It was easy to call that. Ed, Al, and Yuki sat on one side of the table while Tucker and Penelope sat on the other side with Nina petting Alexander close by. “Before I earned my State Alchemist certification, our life was terrible. We were so poor in those days. My wife couldn’t stand living that kind of life so she left us. I can’t afford to fail this assessment. I don’t ever want to go back to those days again. I don’t even think I could.”

Nina turned her head to Tucker, still holding that larger than life smile. “Don’t worry Daddy! It’s okay!” She cheered before raising a childlike grin. “If those people do tell you no, me and Alexander will growl at them until they say yes!”

“You tell em, Nina!” Al laughed.

The man stared at Nina for a while with a face no one could identify, along with Penelope who watched with a kind smile. Both of them thought things, a smile raising on Tucker’s face as well as he shifted slightly so his body faced her’s. “Hey, Nina…” He started. “I’ve got an idea. Do you want to play with Daddy tomorrow?”

“Really?” Nina gasped, her eyes glowing.

“Yeah…”

The child shouted in joy, jumping into Tucker’s arms with a large smile. “Woo-hoo! Alexander! Daddy says he’s gonna play with us tomorrow!” Seemingly, the dog too was barking in excitement, as the teens watched with smiles on her face. Unaware of the event bound to come.

-

Night had dawned upon the city as the almost invisible clouds began to cluster together and grow larger. Piles of old research dating back from two years were stowed away in Penelope’s room, but that research was the last thing on her mind. She may have had several cups of tea that was almost halfway filled with sugar to somewhat ensure herself to stay awake, but for the remaining time that Nina was awake, she was set on spending that time with her. On her tiny twin sized bed, Penelope was tucking Nina in with a softened expression. “I wonder what games Daddy’s gonna play tomorrow!”

Penelope giggled softly. “I dunno sweetie.”

“What games did you play when you were little?”

“Hmm…” Penelope hummed softly and then broke out into tiny laughter. “I would have to say hide and seek. I would play that so often at the Orphanage. I imagine some of the kids were tired of it, but I enjoyed playing. But what I would do is think hard about what games you like and he’ll play them with you.”

“Kay!”

A tender, almost motherly gaze landed on Nina as Penelope sat tall. She pressed her lips together and smiled again. “Nina… I’m sorry… I know things get lonely and sad when your father gets busy with work and when I’m not around. A kid your age shouldn’t be feeling that, so, I’m gonna try and be around more often, that way you don’t feel so lonely anymore… Does that sound good to you?” She asked.

Nina nodded furiously. “Yeah!”

“Good… It’s a promise then.” She whispered now leaning forward and placing a tiny kiss on Nina’s forehead. “Goodnight, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

-

Grey clouds covered the sky making it hard to tell when the sun had risen. Barely enough light entered the rooms in the house, bringing Penelope into a deeper slumber than usual. The girl was surrounded by opened books, scattered papers, and opened files. Penelope had fallen asleep working on the research at an unknown time. Sleeping in an awkward position that would surely make her body ache. Unsurprisingly, that was the first thing she felt. An aching in her back, making her shift uncomfortably, letting out a tired yawn as she moved. Her eyes opened, feeling strained just by being used.

She dragged her body back up, stretching her arms with another yawn. Looking around at the papers, she blew some hair from her face. “I need to give this stuff back to Tucker..” She mumbled now closing books and files and gathering papers together. From the corner of her eyes, she caught a thin file that had remained untouched. Knitting her eyebrows together, she grabbed it and opened it up. “Guess I forgot about…” She started but trailed off as she continued to read what was inside. Her eyes moving from one side of the page to the next, reading over everything carefully and with such precision. As she read on, her skin went cold, pale, and clammy, a sickness stabbed into her gut, a shock slammed into her head, her hands curled on themselves, creating fists clenching the papers. “No… No… Oh no…”

Suddenly she threw the file down to the bed, climbing out and moving towards the door. She threw the door open and stormed for Tucker’s office feeling her anger getting hotter as she walked forward. Looking ahead, she saw the double doors to the lab were closed, letting almost no light inside, to begin with. When her feet stopped in front of the door, her fist pounded against the doors, her anger booming through the house. “Tucker.” She called, firmly at first. But that soon shifted when she started knocking more aggressively. “Tucker! Open this door!”

Mid knock the door opened a slither of the way, showing those dead but changed eyes. Within that death, there was this twisted life within them. Just enough for it to shake Penelope’s core. He didn’t say a word at the sight of her. “You used your wife two years ago to make your Chimera?” She asked loudly at his solemn expression. He said nothing. “You transmuted her and then lied to us and told Nina and I that she left!” Once more, not a word. “It all makes sense now… Leaving Nina like that… But… But you don’t think Nina’s gonna find out about this! That will be far worse than everything else! The arguments! Those struggles!”

“Penelope.” Tucker started. “Nina won’t know anything about that.”

She scoffed and gave him a stupid look. “Oh is that so? Well, I’m taking Nina and Alexander as far away from you as I can! She’ll know about what happened, I’ll tell her when she’s ready… She’ll never be with the likes of you.” Penelope growled now marching away from the opened door and towards Nina’s bedroom. But stopped when seeing her door was opened wide, showing her empty bed. Penelope’s face contorted with horror, turning back to Tucker who was already closing the door to his lab. Having no other thoughts she quickly ran back to the door desperately yanking on the doorknob or pounding on the door, screaming Tucker’s name. Fear and anger were the only things that could be heard from her.

A hand went around the knob, twisting and turning it as she shoved her way into the darkened room. She stumbled in, entering the dreary truth. Penelope looked around and saw a chimera with white fur covering it with a long brown mane lining on the back, holding the body a long thin sickly dog. The look of this chimera was nothing short of a monstrosity that was drowned in pity. She couldn’t take her eyes off the sight, feeling the shock swallow her, constricting around her throat, cutting off her breathing. Nothing crossed her mind, the world around her felt like nothing, just nothing but her and this chimera. Slowly she slumped to her knees, shaking with tears starting to form in her eyes as she locked eyes with this creature. Her eyes wandered to Tucker, a weak but fiery stare drilled into him as she stood and shoved him into the wall with her hand pressing onto his throat. “I could kill you right now!” She screeched in his face now bringing her balled fist back, ready to slam into Tucker’s skull relentlessly. Her shaking body couldn’t allow her to press on the violent assault any further. No way she’d be able to. “G-Give her back…”

“What?”

“Y-Y-You heard me, Tucker! Give her back!”

“I can’t separate her. But you of all people must understand why I did this!”

“No! I don’t!” She argued, pressing her fingers pressing harder on his neck. “This is your daughter and your dog! They were all you had and you used them as lab rats! My sister and my dog are not some test monkeys for your twisted experiments! You’ve preached to me, to those boys, to Yuki, to your daughter that you wanted to provide but who the hell can you provide for now! Answer me that Tucker!” Tears ran down her reddened face, spitting on his cheeks as she yelled, the girl was so angry she was nearly foaming at the mouth. The animalistic anger and betrayal was overwhelming. Growling, she threw her hands off of him. “You aren’t getting away with this… You aren’t getting away with any of this!”

“You can’t tell anyone!”

“Oh, I can’t?” She barked. “What’re you gonna do?” Cutting into the thick air was the doorbell ringing out, the only person who seemed to not notice was Penelope. Not even that could distract her. Tucker stood, his face regaining color as he went for the laboratory doors, not saying a word. Penelope snarled and moved to them as well, prepared to go past him only to have the doors close in her face, drowning them in darkness. Her eyes moved all over, trying to adjust her eyes to the lack of light. Her hands pressed against the door, feeling around for the knobs, feeling the panic climbing up to her neck. But as her hands grazed the knobs, Tucker slammed a thick, heavy book on the back of her head, bringing her head forward to slam into the heavy doors.

Penelope crashed, pain filling her skull as her body collided with the floor. From somewhere in the darkness, she heard footsteps inching closer until a cloth was shoved into her mouth. Her eyes went wide as she began to toss and fling her arms about. A hand grasped around her wrist, yanking her up to her feet only to be knocked back down into something else. The bottom of a trunk. Her arms pressed tightly into the walls of the trunk and her sides, her knees being pushed over her chest with her head tucked into her body. When realizing what was happening, instincts kicked in as she cried out in fright with her body moving to climb out, but was halted by the lid slamming shut and a locking click being heard. Spitting out the cloth, she screamed out loud enough for her throat to burn, rocking the trunk about, but regardless being eaten alive by the space. Cries and sobs broke out, heaving from her chest with breaths becoming sporadic, uncontrollable and the feeling of being crushed pressed onto her like a ton of bricks.

-

Outside, things stayed innocent and falling under the same routine minus the shining day was replaced with one ready to storm. Al would step up, ringing the doorbell, calling for Mr.Tucker while Yuki and Ed waited about for someone to show up. Slowly Al opened the door, poking his helmet inside. “Hello, Mr.Tucker! Thanks for having us again today!” Al greeted only to have silence in return. Both Yuki and Ed stuck their heads inside, raising an eyebrow. Now allowing themselves inside, their eyes quickly searched the house, moving side to side as they walked. “Mr. Tucker?”

“Hey, Nina?” Ed called out.

“Pene? Nina?”

They checked the other rooms, Yuki glancing into Nina’s room and then Penelope’s feeling a tense nature as she looked. Next, they opened up the lab doors, exposing Tucker examining the Chimera on a knee with the hall lights. “Mr.Tucker!” Al greeted.

“There you are! So you are home!” Ed sighed.

Tucker slowly turned to them, looking proud, full of relief, untouched. As if nothing had happened. Like he had never been attacked. “Yes…” He trailed off, a cryptic smile raising on his face. Ed blinked, keeping his eyes on Tucker while Yuki couldn’t keep her eyes off the chimera, realizing too soon. “I did it… I finally did it. A chimera that understands human speech.” He told them. A crack of thunder roared outside, freezing Yuki stiff. Tucker motioned the boys closer, leading the two boys over while Yuki remained still, watching from a distance. “Here, let me show you.” He eagerly offered. “Listen to me, that person over there, that’s Edward.”

“That person… Ed...Ward.” The Chimera lifelessly said.

“Yes! That’s very good! Well done!”

Ed’s jaw dropped. “That’s amazing! It can actually talk!”

Tucker laughed nervously, bringing himself to his feet. “Now I don’t have to worry about losing my certification!” He stated. For a while longer, he watched the two watch in awe but noticed Yuki staring with a sickly face, which was when he began to hear the heavy breathing from the trunk near her. Tucker went to Yuki’s side, placing a hand on her back and kindly lead her towards the Chimera. Yuki tensed up at the touch but moved. “Don’t be shy Yuki…” He assured before removing a hand and putting distance between himself and the trunk.

Yuki’s eyes quickly went to Ed, who was now kneeling down in front of the Chimera with animated interest. Moving to the ground, she placed a hand on Ed’s shoulder. “Ed something’s wrong.” She told him, her voice shaking. From where she sat, she couldn’t help but hear heavy breathing, almost like someone was hyperventilating with occasional cries of terror.

“That person… Ed… Ward…”

“What’re you talking about?” Ed asked.

“That person… Ed… Ward… That person… Ed… Ward… Big brother Ed….”

The air was knocked out of Ed and Yuki. Their blood went cold. The world disappeared around them as their eyes shot completely open. Further dragging them down into the horror was those lifeless eyes remaining on Ed, unmoving, like a doll. Initial shock, when things got quiet was the calmest part. A calm before the storm. Much like the eyes, Ed didn’t move. “Mr.Tucker... When did you first get your State Certification?” Ed started, his voice low, getting colder the angrier he found himself becoming.

“Let’s see… It was two years ago.”

“And when did your wife leave you?”

“That was two years ago too.”

“I just have one more question for you… Nina and Alexander…” Ed snarled before looking over his shoulder to glower at Tucker. “Where are they?!” Al gasped in realization, taken aback by the reveal, turning his attention to Tucker, hoping for him to explain. Ed shot to his feet and dug his angry stare deeper into Tucker’s back. “While I’m at, where’s Penelope?!”

Tucker shuddered, slowly turning to Ed with eyes wide, like a deer caught in headlights. “Damn brat figuring it out so quickly…!”

Ed launched himself at Tucker, a hand latching onto the collar of Tucker’s shirt, shoving him into the wall that Penelope had shoved him into only minutes before. Both Yuki and Al breathed out Ed’s name. That couldn’t stop him. “Oh yeah! I figured it out! You did it again! Two years ago, it was your wife! This time you used you used your own daughter and her dog to transmute a talking chimera! You can only do so much with animals, after all. It’s much easier when you start with the human, isn’t that right?!”

“I don’t see what you’re so upset about…” Tucker told him. “This is how we progress! Human experimentation is a necessary step. I think a scientist should understand-”

“Shut up!” Ed yelled. “Do you really think you can get away with this? Messing around with someone’s life like that! Your own daughter!”

“Someone’s life you say?” Tucker snickered. “You’d know all about that, wouldn’t you? Look at you, Fullmetal Alchemist! Look at your leg, your arm, your brother! Those things are also the result of messing around with somebody’s life, aren’t they!”

“Shut up!” Ed screamed now throwing a punch at Tucker, the slam knocking off Tucker’s glasses.

Tucker cackled loudly and grin. “We are the same! We’re the same… You’re just like me!”

“We’re not!”

“Oh, but yes we are! The opportunity was right in front of us, and we took it! We had to even though we knew it was against the rules!”

“No!” He threw a punch at Tucker once. Then again. “Not me!” Then again. Another punch. “Alchemist’s don’t…” Another punch. “do that!” Another punch. “I’m not… I’m not!” 

Before another punch could be blown down Al grabbed at Ed’s arm holding him back as a trunk in the corner fell over with all the contents on top of it, shattering onto the floor. “If you keep this up, he’ll die!”

From inside the fallen trunk, remained Penelope, clinging to herself, completely paralyzed in fear. Shaking, breathing heavily, sobs breaking out. Outside, she heard Yuki’s voice calling out to her. That enough was a cue for her to desperately pound at the inside, knowing someone was letting her out. “Let me out of here!” She screamed out, continuing to kick and pound her feet. The trunk shifted as Yuki flipped it back into the proper place.

Ed’s eyes remained on Tucker, listening to Penelope’s broken and pleading screams to be let out, feeling relief that she was able to come out of this. But her discovered presence made this, somehow, more sickening to him. Tucker was beaten, black and blue, bleeding, swelling from being punched by a hand made of metal. Suddenly Ed’s body tensed up, turning to the Chimera looking right at him, the expression not even changing.

“Edward… No… Daddy… Do you… Hurt? Daddy?”

He slowly dropped Tucker onto the ground, his face paling.

The trunk opened and Penelope carelessly jumped out, still feeling the effects of the tight space on her body. She was hyperventilating, blood for an episode running down her cheeks, puffed red eyes, clinging to Yuki letting out strangled cries. A sight that made Yuki want to go after Tucker, allowing that cool nature to shatter like his nose would under her fist. “I-I-I was too late! I could have stopped it but… I was too late!” Penelope gasped out, trying to catch her breath.

“Shhh… Just breathe…” Yuki quietly assured, holding her friend arm's length away, tears fluttering off her eyelashes.

Al knelt down in front of the Chimera, placing a soft touch onto the top of her head. “I’m sorry… Even with all our power, we can’t do anything to change you back… I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”

“Can we play... now…? Can we play now?”

Slumped against the wall, Tucker slipped the pocket watch out into sight, holding it in his hands. Looking at it, believing it was the last thing he had left. He had lost everything else, but he believed that he had this one thing still. Through the blood and swelling, he struggled to speak. “I made it just in time…! I get to remain a State Alchemist! I passed!” He breathed out.

Penelope went stiff when she heard this, looking up finally. Yuki and Ed looked taken aback by the deluded statement. She stood, using Yuki’s shoulder as a way to push herself up to her feet, sauntering to Tucker and kicking the watch out of his hands. At first, it just hit the wall, clanking before hitting the floor a few feet in front of him. Pure hatred was the only thing that stayed on her face when she looked at Tucker. Nothing less than that. Watching him desperately crawl on his hands and knees to it, that look never wavered. “Like hell you are!” She spat. “Like hell…!”

“Can we… Play now…?”

Everything was falling apart around them, Penelope finally seeing the end of another family before her. The betrayal sunk in. The horror fully sunk in. Every negative emotion in the book settled into Penelope’s skin. All she could think was ‘not again’. The cycle repeating, again and again, only this time it was crueler. More gruesome. Penelope’s breath hitched, looking all around her. Anxiety was beyond head length, she was drowning in it and she couldn’t even get her hands close to the surface. Her hardened face deteriorated, shaking like a barely hanging leaf, tears streaming down her face like the rain outside. Falling to her knees, she let out a scream in grief and clung to herself as if she never left that tiny little trunk.

-

“If ever there was an example of the devil’s work in this world, this case would definitely be it.”

“The devil, huh?”

It was raining cats and dogs outside, perfectly matching the mood of the group of alchemists and their unfortunate event. Roy, Joslyn, and Riza stepped down the stairs, hearing of the incident at hand. Without an umbrella they pressed on, as Roy spoke, continuing his response to Riza. “A State Alchemist must be willing to act, able to take another’s life when ordered to without questioning. In some ways, Mr.Tucker’s actions and our own may not be all that far apart, when it comes to interfering with other people’s lives. We choose our own path, knowing full well what we’re doing.” Then stopping next to Ed, Al, and Penelope, not even glancing at the three of them or even changing his stone look. “That’s the way it is… Right Fullmetal? You will more than likely come across cases like this again in the future. And you may end up having to get your own hands dirty as well. Are you going to shut down like this every time?”

Not even pausing between the two, Ed spoke. “We may be called dogs of the military… We may even be cursed as devils… It doesn’t matter. Al and I are still going to get our bodies back. We know the truth. We know we’re not devils. We know we’re not gods!” He stood with his face still facing the ground. “We’re human.” Then gritting his teeth together, he threw his head to the sky with his fists tightened screaming, “We’re only human!” Looking back to the road ahead, an angered look remained. “We can’t even do anything to save one innocent little girl. So what good are we then?”

Roy narrowed his eyes on what was ahead, before stealing a glance on Penelope who remained still. Statuelike. He knew everything that had happened, part of him knew she wouldn’t be able to handle something like this. “Penelope, I apologize for the experience you had today. This must be difficult for you.” Glancing back to the road ahead he stepped forward again and down the slippery steps. “Resonance and the Elric Brothers will keep an eye on you.”

-

A quietness filled the Tucker household as Tucker and his creation were held off in a separate room. In another, Yuki packed and bagged up every possession of Penelope’s to purge from the house. The only thing that could be heard by any of them was the sound of rain pattering against the ground outside and distant thunder that wanted to make Yuki scurry back. That was until feet under the creaking wood brought Yuki’s attention elsewhere. As she moved her head in the direction, a tall figure’s shadow stretched out of sight, sending a chill up her spine.

Slowly she set the bags down and poked her head out as the masculine figure stepped into the room Tucker and the Chimera were staying in. “You’re Shou Tucker, correct?” The man asked with a deep voice.

“Who are you? Not military…!” Tucker asked. “Who are you! How did you get in here! There were military police out front!”

Yuki crept deeper in the hall, listening in on the conversation as it went on. The hairs on her neck and arms, standing on end. Carefully, her head came into view, watching as the man stopped in front of Tucker. “Foolish alchemists who turns their backs on the ways of God… Shall be punished.” The man declared, now slamming his hand onto Tucker’s face. Blue sparks circled around the man’s wrist before traveling all over Tucker’s body, sending convulsions all over before he splattered blood all around, tumbling to the ground, dead.

Another kind of horror washed over Yuki, her body tensing up but becoming loose all at once, as she backed away, moving in the direction which she came from. In the room, she heard the Chimera speak. “Daddy’s hurting… Daddy hurt… No Daddy…” It wailed out.

“You poor creature. Once you’ve been given this form, there is no way of separating you again. At least… Your passing will be in peace.”

The thunder outside cracked once more as the transmutation occurred again, killing Nina and Alexander. Yuki let out a soundless gasp and fled into Penelope’s room, pressing her back against the wall, lowering herself down to the ground to cover her ears as the man began to leave.

Once more his footsteps moved passed the room, down the stairs and out of the house, leaving Yuki with nothing else.

“God, hear me. Two human souls have just been returned to you. Please accept them into your loving arms. Please grant these poor, lost souls everlasting peace and salvation.”


End file.
